A formal expression of preference among alternatives in an election or decision procedure is a vote. In democratic politics the vote is the basic mechanism through which citizens authorize representatives and, sometimes, decide policy questions directly.

Voting rules matter. Plurality, majority runoff, ranked choice, and proportional formulas produce different winners from the same distribution of preferences. Secret voting protects individuals from intimidation; public voting in legislatures enforces accountability to parties and constituents. Turnout determines whose preferences are counted.

The right to vote was historically restricted and remains unevenly exercised. Administrative barriers, alienation, and satisfaction with the status quo all affect participation. Safeguarding the integrity of the vote—accurate rolls, secure ballots, transparent counting—is a permanent administrative and political task. When citizens lose confidence that votes are counted fairly, the legitimacy of the entire system suffers.

• Formal expression of choice in an election
• Core instrument of democratic authorization
• Affected by electoral rules and administration
• Integrity of counting underpins legitimacy