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At the voting booth, they get a ballot, or a piece of paper with the names of people who are running for office (or trying to get a public position).
在投票站那里，他们会得到一张选票，或是上面列有竞选人（或试图得到政府部门中的职位）姓名的一张纸。
On this ballot, they indicate (or show) which person they would like to vote for.
在这张选票上，选民指明（或表明）自己支持的那个人。
Doing this is known as casting a ballot.
这样做就叫投票。
In many states, voters are allowed to vote by mail.
在许多州，选民是可以通过邮件参加投票的。
They don't need to go to a voting booth. Instead, a ballot is mailed to their home.
他们无需前往投票站，选票会邮寄到他们家。
They need to fill it out and mail it to the correct address by (or before) a certain date to have their vote counted (or included) in the election.
他们需要填写好它并在指定日期之前寄往指定地点就可以记入选举了。
U.S. citizens who are living in other countries can also vote by mail.
这样在其他国家的美国公民也能参加投票了。
Unlike in some other countries, voting is optional in the United States, meaning that people can choose to do it, but they don't have to.
美国的选举跟其他国家有所不同，选民拥有自主权，投不投都可以。
Many people choose not to vote and never fill out a voter registration card.
许多人放弃投票，也从来没有填写过选民登记卡。
In the 2004 presidential elections, only 60% of eligible voters voted, meaning that 60% of all the people who could vote did.
在2004年的总统选举中，只有60%的有效票，也就是只有60%的人投了票。
Many organizations try to get more people to register to vote and participate in the elections,
许多组织都呼吁选民参与到竞选投票中来，
because they believe that our government would be stronger if more people voted.
因为他们相信越多人参与投票就表示政府越强大。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
