As U.S. voters line up at polling centers on Election Day, many of them may find out that it is more than a new president that is at stake when they cast their votes.
On a huge billboard placed in the front hall of the Central Library of Arlington County, northern Virginia, are displayed some sample ballots which voters in the battleground state will have to deal with when they enter polling centers Tuesday. Don't be surprised if a survival guide becomes necessary.
The presidential ballot comes first. The surprise is: apart from the much-publicized Democratic and Republican tickets, there are four more tickets listed that have not drawn national attention. They are Chuck Baldwin and Barrell L. Castle of the Independent Green Party, Bob Barr and Wayne A. Root of Liber Tarian Party, Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente of Green Party, and Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez as an independent ticket.
Voters are instructed not to vote for more than one ticket. At the bottom of the ballot, a write-in line is available for voters to add on other candidates of their choosing.
Also, the presidential ballot has columns listing congressional candidates and, in states where gubernatorial elections are also being held, candidates for a new governor. This gives voters opportunities to choose a senator, a House representative or a governor.
All seats in the House of Representatives, one-third of Senate seats and a number of governorships across the nation are up for grabs in Tuesday's balloting.
But there is even more at stake. For instance, voters in Virginia's Arlington County will also have to elect new members to both the County Board and the School Board of the county and in the meantime, vote for or against many civic issues affecting their wallets and daily lives.
In the case of Arlington County, the issues could range from new funds for metro construction to renovation of a local water pollution control plant. The exact issues will vary from county to county, from state to state.
Source:Xinhua
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