Legal Definitions - office-block ballot

An office-block ballot is a type of election ballot design where all candidates running for a specific public office are grouped together, regardless of their political party affiliation. This design emphasizes the office being sought, listing all contenders for that position before moving on to the next office. It encourages voters to consider individual candidates for each role rather than simply voting for all candidates from a single political party.

• Example 1: Municipal Election

  Imagine a voter in a local election for city officials. On an office-block ballot, they would first see a section clearly labeled "Mayor," under which all individuals running for mayor are listed alphabetically, perhaps with their party affiliation noted next to their name. Below that, there would be another distinct section for "City Council Member," listing all candidates for those positions. This structure requires the voter to review the options for each specific office independently.

• Example 2: Statewide General Election

  Consider a general election for state-level positions. An office-block ballot would present all candidates for Governor together in one block, followed by all candidates for Lieutenant Governor in another block, then all candidates for Attorney General, and so forth. For instance, under "Governor," a voter might see Candidate A (Democrat), Candidate B (Republican), and Candidate C (Independent) listed consecutively. This layout prompts voters to evaluate candidates based on the office they seek, rather than simply selecting a party's entire slate of candidates.

• Example 3: Judicial Retention Election

  In some states, judges are subject to retention elections where voters decide whether to keep a judge in office. An office-block ballot for such an election might feature a section titled "Justice of the State Supreme Court," followed by the name of the judge and the question "Shall Justice [Judge's Name] be retained in office?" with "Yes" and "No" options. If multiple judges are up for retention, each judge would have their own distinct block under the relevant judicial office heading, ensuring voters consider each judge's retention individually.