why do people need elections?
447216
The key reason for having an election is  to show the will of the electorate.  How effective this is is always open to debate.\nIn theory a person or party voted into office by election has the mandate to act on behalf of the people as in a fair contest more people voted for them than the other guy.  Again I stress this is how they are meant to work.\nSo the short answer would be we need elections to show what the will of the people is and to make our officials accountable to us.
1117030
Simple. People already don't get out and vote. Voter turn out is always poor. So if we charge even less people will turn out and vote.
703844
So powerful people can steal elections. This is a huge deal. All americans need to fight for clean and fair elections. We could lose everything because of this problem alone.
817545
Because it's a right for us to see who were electing. Thanks to all those who fought for our right to vote, we can decide what to do. Voting means that you can control who you're voting for in the elections and if that representative does a lousy job, you can vote him/her out. Of course, it would be better if you had a field of options not like the average race where you have between 1 and 3 at the very least.
964438
This supposedly free system of elections boils down to two candidates and parties, so why bother if you don't want either candidate, choose the lesser evil and it's your time and gas.\nI would think this has much to do with it as well the registration of voters is outdated as Americans move so often. Change the system and reform. Regardless which candidate you elect or re elect it comes down to what their party wants and the money that supports them.
1037557
To create the illusion of human rights and representative government. Look at Saddam Hussein; he had "free elections" when he was in power. He could rightly claim "99 percent of the people voted for me! Ok, so we shot the 1 percent that didn't, but it still counts as an election!"
673098
Quite simple actually. In order to get elected, they require campaign donations. While most private citizens give these out of the goodness of their hearts, corporations and special interest groups do it to further their own interests. It's an investment to them. The larger the donation, the more ads they can run. The more ads they run, the greater their chance of winning.\n\n  Then, after they win, they have a list of "favors" that need to be repaid.\n\n  Consider this: George Bush's largest corporate campaign contributors were financial service companies, defense contractors, and pharmaceutical companies. From this we got the Social Security privatization plan, the Iraq War, and Medicaid Prescription drug plan.
170720
The reality is it only does when the bourgeious are the ones footing the campaign funding of a particular candidate. I'm not sure how old you are, or if you're even from the US, but here there was a time when the needs of real people were put foremost, money was set aside for them, towns were getting cleaned up, there was a revitalization in America, there was a TRILLION dollar overage of public funds.  That was before the year 2000, much has changed since then There's always a little pandering to the one's who have all the dough, because they're the one that get people elected, and the people that get elected don't really care about real people, with the exception of Presidents and Administrations past. Bottom line answer is "Because they're usually Borgeious themselves.  It's a comfort zone thing
309726
Some places use voting lists.  Others use drivers license info.  If you drive and vote, they're gonna get you sooner or later.
375889
voting is one of the most important rights that we are granted as a society!  Do you realize the millions of people who fought for our rights to vote, only to have those rights squandered by a country full of lazy and uninterested people?  Women, Blacks... fought for hundreds of years for the right to vote!  I vote because it is my constitutional right to express my opinion, and I vote because in some part my vote influences the country.  What if everyone sat around and decided their vote didnt count?  The country would be totally decided by the politicians... thats called Communism!  \n\nAlso ponder this... if you didnt vote for the presidential race... do you really have a right to complain about anything that he does?  You had an opportunity to cast a vote against him, if you would have, then maybe he would not have entered office.  I believe if you dont vote, your forfeit your right to complain about anything!
802944
Because elections in the U.S. are a STATE issue, not a federal one. There are very few laws at the federal level dealing with elections. The government leaves most of it up to the states to decide how to do it.
934634
It is very effective in the short term, which is why so many politicians do it.  It actually does not change that many votes, however; it just keeps the opponent's supporters home on Election Day.\n\nSuppose I was a candidate for the "Republi-crat" party.  Slinging mud at my opponent, the "Demo-can," would not make many other Demo-cans support me.  Instead, they would not vote at all or not vote for either one of us.  And that's almost as good as getting them to switch.  \n\nFor example, if there are 1,000 registered voters, half Republi-crats and half Demo-cans,  and all of them turn up to vote, I would need 501 votes to get elected.  But if I can make 200 people decide to stay home, I only need to get 401 votes (half of the 800 people who do vote).  So my supporters will turn up, and the Demo-cans won't, and I win.  \n\nWhat is so terrible about negative campaigning, however, is the same thing that makes it work.  People stop voting, because they become unhappy with all of the candidates and all the people who are elected.  That's why it seems like we can't get anything done, because everyone is out to find a "Got'cha" moment.  \n\nAnd democracy simply cannot survive in a society that doesn't support the electoral process and the legitimacy of those who are elected.  So, the short term effects of negative campaigning benefit those who ultimately get elected that way, but they hurt the nation overall.  We have too many politicians in office, and fewer and fewer statesmen.\n\nGood luck!! (We all need it, especially today.)
122021
I really think that people are lazy when it comes to politics.  The problem is that they whine about the government but they do not take the time to influence their vote.  So many just go with what someone elses friend convinced them to do.  Most likely that person is voting their pocket book and the people they get to vote their way is dramatically effected in a negative way.\n\nIt pays to research when it comes to high offices as much as it does for state and local.  If you do not know who you are voting for you are wasting your time and the whole nations.  A guess in the poll booth is like a guess on a test.  Sort of like getting an A+ or a D+ or even a F.\nPeople say that one vote does not make a difference but when it comes to individuals that do not take the time to research there are many of them.  These masses can influence a vote in major ways.\n\nSo I ask that anyone research and vote for the best person.
561579
People keep electing persons who are currently holding the office. Being the incumbent means you are more visible, have more "name-recognition," get more political donations and get more help from other party members and from the party itself.
59762
We are the voters.  We are the one responsible for them.  If people paid attention before voting, we would not have these kind of problems.
810859
i personally always vote. most non-voters don't vote because they do not like either canidate, or they are just un-informed and do not know who to vote for. most people my age ( i am 20) are not even registered because they just don't care. i dont think it is pressed on younger people as much the importance of voting. most of my friends say "why bother, i won't make a difference anyway" which sometimes is true. i live in MD which tends to be a democratic state, so if you were to vote republican it would basically be worthless. i have also found that a lot of people that don't vote complain about who has been elected. which i find humorus. because if you didnt try to change it why should you have an opinion?
408409
To manage the campaign of person running for office.\n\nDuties would include setting up rallies, debates, getting the vote out, getting commerials on tv and radio, making his canidate look good, and other such stuff.