Although voting seems like a simple task, it is much more than that. There's a lot that goes into the task of checking a few boxes and submitting your vote. First of all, even having the ability to vote takes work. Before you even have your ballot in your hands, you need to make sure you are eligible and registered to vote. Virtually all American citizens over the age of 18 can register to vote, except for some felons who are removed from the political process. The effort doesn't stop once it's registered. When it's Election Day, you must make yourself available to submit your ballot, which may be more difficult for some than others. Some people don't have the resources to take time off work to cast their vote, which can result in a negative outcome. Others see the voting paradox where the costs far outweigh the benefits and decide not to vote. The costs of voting are: the registration itself, receiving information about how, where and when to vote, the low probability that your vote will be decisive and, as stated before, the time it takes to do so. The benefits, apart from mandatory actions, are the expression of your group membership in a particular party, the social benefits within your social networks and the continuation of the mobilization imposed by the campaigns or, again, by your social networks. In addition to costs versus benefits determining whether you are more likely to vote or not, your age and education level also influence your vote. Most voters are less sophisticated voters. When the people who actually vote receive their ballot paper, it all depends on which party they represent. Party identity is the dramatic deciding factor within any major election, so the election does not represent American democracy. It should be about the candidate and his positions on various topics, but it rarely is. In most cases the party members are all in favor of the same things; for example, Democrats tend to be more liberal and Republicans more conservative. It doesn't really matter how hard, say a presidential candidate, works to become a strong contender because in the end it is only his or her party affiliation that matters. In smaller-scale elections the issue is greater among candidates, but participation is lower. People care less about party identity in small-scale elections, when they should have the same attitude towards larger elections