Like daisies, candidate lawn signs are popping up all over the Township.
Today’s post is inspired by my aunt. Recently she dropped me off at home and asked about a sign in my yard. When I told her who the candidate was, she said she was going to give him a call for some issues she was having.
***I then explained that she would need to contact HER representative, and she was at a lost about who that was.
Then it hit me:
Unless you are someone who follows politics closely, you may have only a passing knowledge of what is on the ballot and who will represents you.
Today is an overview of WHAT your vote in November will be for. I didn’t include the President and Vice President because there are many more resources for those two offices.
Job Description: A U.S. Senator is an elected member of Congress. Two U.S. Senators are elected from each state. Splitting their time between Washington D.C. and their home state, Senators write and vote on federal legislation. Senators are assigned to serve on committees, in which they review bills, or proposed laws. Each committee focuses on a different topic, including budget, health, education, foreign relations, transportation and homeland security.
A U.S. Senator must be at least 30 years old, be a U.S. citizen and live in the state in which he or she is elected. A U.S. senator serves a six-year term. This year in Pennsylvania there is one senate seat up for election.
Job Description: A U.S. Representative is an elected member of Congress. Each state receives representation in the House of Representatives in proportion to its population but is entitled to at least one representative. Pennsylvania lost one representative after redistricting following the 2010 U.S. Census and will have 18 U.S. Representatives beginning in 2013. Splitting their time between Washington D.C. and their home state, U.S. Representatives (often referred to as “Congressmen” or “Congresswomen“) write and vote on federal legislation.
A U.S. Representative must be at least 25 years old, be a U.S. citizen and live in the state in which he or she is elected. A U.S. Representative serves a two-year term. This year all of the U.S. Representative seats are up for election.
Job Description: Similar to the District Attorney on the city or county level, the Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth. The Attorney General’s duties include prosecuting state officials and employees charged with crimes involving the performance of their official duties, prosecuting indictments returned by grand juries and, in some instances, filling the role of District Attorney in local criminal matters. The Attorney General also furnishes legal advice to the Governor and the heads of the Commonwealth agencies concerning the exercise of their official powers. He or she represents the Commonwealth in actions brought by or against it.
Until 1980, the Attorney General was appointed by the Governor (with the advice and consent of the Senate). Today the Attorney General is elected for a four-year term and may not serve more than two successive terms. The Attorney General must be at least thirty years old, a resident of the Commonwealth for seven years preceding the election (unless non-residence resulted from federal or state government service) and a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
Job Description: The Auditor General oversees the finances of state departments and agencies. Similar to the Controller on the city level, the Auditor General conducts annual and special audits of state departments. He or she may also investigate any local government organization that collects or receives state funds. The Auditor General’s office is located in Harrisburg. The Auditor General must be at least eighteen years old and a resident of Pennsylvania.
Job Description: The Treasurer is the chief administrator of the Treasury Department. He or she manages the collection, investment, and disbursement of the Commonwealth’s funds. From a Harrisburg office, the Treasurer also maintains the ledger and pays the bills of the Commonwealth in accordance with the taxing and spending decisions of the General Assembly and the Governor. The Treasurer must be at least eighteen years old and resident of Pennsylvania.
Job Description: State Senators each serve a local constituency of approximately 254,000 citizens. State senators make up the Pennsylvania State Senate, which (along with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives) is part of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. State senators propose and pass laws at the state level.
Prior to election, a state senator must be at least 25 years old, reside in Pennsylvania for at least four years, and reside in the senatorial district for at least one year. State senators must remain district residents throughout their tenure and may not hold any other salaried state or federal offices. They are elected to four-year terms.
***State Representatives each serve a local constituency of approximately 62,500 citizens. State representatives make up the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which (along with the Pennsylvania State Senate) is part of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. State representatives propose and pass laws at the state level.
Prior to election, a state representative must be at least twenty-one years old, reside in Pennsylvania for at least four years, and reside in the district for at least one year. While in office, state representatives must also maintain district residence and may not hold any other salaried office in state or federal government. State representatives are elected to two-year terms.
Now that you know the what, take the time to learn the WHO.
This information was taken from the webpage of Committee of Seventy. Visit their site for additional information.
For further reading:
Thanks for stopping by! An educated voter is the best voter.
This is good information to know, thanks for sharing it!