What IsSplit-TicketVoting?By Dan Centinello

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Identifying a Need At polling stations, many Americans might be left wondering just what was taking solong in the voting booths. Part of the hold up is due to the fact that 41 of our 50 statesprohibit straight-ticket voting, a practice which expedites the voting processexponentially by allowing voters to check one box to select all members of aparty. However, despite nine states allowing straight-ticket voting, more and moreAmericans are opting to go split-ticket in recent decades.

A DefintionSplit-ticket voting is the act of casting a vote for

members of different parties when the multiple seats

are open for election simultaneously. For example,

instead of voting for every Republican on the ballot

from Donald Trump down to the candidates in your

local elections, a split-ticket vote could see a voter

chose Trump, and then multiple members of the

Democratic party.

Although it was once a fairlycommonplace occurrence,

straight-ticket voting seems tohave fallen out of favor

amongst Americans in recentyears, as fewer and fewer

people are voting for everymember of one party.

For instance, in Alabama, roughly 50%of voters have cast their ballots forone single party in each of the pastthree election years, 2012, 2010 and2008. This election season, however,many are predicting that split-ticket

voting could emerge as a huge factorin numerous elections this November.

What To Expect in NovemberWhile split-ticket voting and the ban on single-box straight ticket voting may cause forslower moving voting lines, the likelihood of voters approaching each individualelection with a more critical eye becomes increased. Because more and more statesare beginning to move away from straight-ticket voting, combined with the waveringand tumultuous approval ratings and polling numbers of numerous officials, more split-tickets seem like a lock for the 2016 elections.

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Dan CentinelloDan Centinello is a political industry veteran with more than tenyears of campaign management experience.