SAMPLE BALLOT¶

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 3 (Multi-Member)¶

General Election - November 5, 2030¶

INSTRUCTIONS: STAR Voting (Score - Then - Automatic - Runoff)¶

This district elects 5 Representatives to the United States House of Representatives.

How to Vote:

Give your favorite candidate(s) five stars (⑤)
Give your least favorite candidate(s) zero stars (⓪) or leave blank
Score other candidates as desired based on your level of support
You may give the same score to multiple candidates
Equal scores indicate equal support

How Your Ballot is Counted:

Your scores help determine which candidates are elected proportionally. The highest-scoring candidates are elected with vote reweighting to ensure fair representation. All your ratings count throughout the process.

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES¶

Congressional District 3 - 5 seats

Rate each candidate from 0 to 5 stars

Candidate	Party Registration	Party Endorsements	FCAO Exam	Rating (Worst → Best)
Sarah Martinez	Democratic	Democratic, Working Families	88%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
James Chen	Republican	Republican	92%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Maria Rodriguez	Democratic	Democratic, Green	85%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Thomas Anderson	Republican	Republican, Forward	79%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Jennifer Kim	none	Independent	95%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Robert Wilson	Libertarian	Libertarian	91%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Patricia O'Brien	Democratic	Democratic, Working Families, Green	83%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Michael Torres	Republican	none	77%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
David Park	none	Forward	89%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Elizabeth Harris	Republican	Republican	84%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Carlos Mendez	Democratic	none	81%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤
Sophia Patel	Green	Green, Working Families	87%	⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤

CANDIDATE INFORMATION¶

Sarah Martinez¶

Party Registration: Democratic | Party Endorsements: Democratic, Working Families | FCAO Exam: 88%

Small business owner and former city council member. Focuses on affordable housing, workforce development, and small business support. Advocates for community-driven economic development and accessible childcare programs. Coalition support from Working Families Party signals strong labor ties.

James Chen¶

Party Registration: Republican | Party Endorsements: Republican | FCAO Exam: 92%

Attorney and community leader with 15 years in private practice. Priorities include tax reform, public safety, and regulatory streamlining. Supports evidence-based criminal justice reform while maintaining law-and-order credentials. Highest FCAO score among Republicans.

Maria Rodriguez¶

Party Registration: Democratic | Party Endorsements: Democratic, Green | FCAO Exam: 85%

Environmental scientist and education advocate with Ph.D. in climate science. Emphasizes climate action, renewable energy transition, and public education funding. Green Party endorsement reflects strong environmental credentials while maintaining Democratic Party support.

Thomas Anderson¶

Party Registration: Republican | Party Endorsements: Republican, Forward | FCAO Exam: 79%

Military veteran (Major, U.S. Marine Corps, retired) and technology entrepreneur. Focuses on infrastructure modernization, veteran services, and bipartisan problem-solving. Forward Party endorsement signals reform-minded approach and willingness to work across party lines.

Jennifer Kim¶

Party Registration: none | Party Endorsements: Independent | FCAO Exam: 95%

Healthcare administrator with 20 years experience in hospital management. Advocates for healthcare access, mental health services, senior care, and rural healthcare infrastructure. Highest FCAO score among all candidates. True independent with no party registration or major party endorsement.

Robert Wilson¶

Party Registration: Libertarian | Party Endorsements: Libertarian | FCAO Exam: 91%

Economics professor at state university and civil liberties advocate. Priorities include fiscal responsibility, individual freedom, criminal justice reform, and ending qualified immunity. Supports reducing government intervention while protecting civil liberties. Strong academic credentials with second-highest FCAO score.

Patricia O'Brien¶

Party Registration: Democratic | Party Endorsements: Democratic, Working Families, Green | FCAO Exam: 83%

Labor union organizer with 25 years experience in public sector unions. Champions workers' rights, environmental justice, progressive taxation, and union organizing protections. Maximum three-party endorsement demonstrates broad progressive coalition support.

Michael Torres¶

Party Registration: Republican | Party Endorsements: none | FCAO Exam: 77%

Former state senator who did not receive Republican Party endorsement. Emphasizes traditional conservative values, border security, agricultural policy, and rural community development. Running without party endorsement after internal party disputes. Lowest FCAO score among all candidates.

David Park¶

Party Registration: none | Party Endorsements: Forward | FCAO Exam: 89%

Software engineer and civic tech advocate with background in government technology systems. Focuses on government modernization, electoral reform, anti-corruption measures, and digital infrastructure. Not registered with any party but endorsed by reform-focused Forward Party.

Elizabeth Harris¶

Party Registration: Republican | Party Endorsements: Republican | FCAO Exam: 84%

Small business owner (retail and e-commerce) and local chamber president. Priorities include economic development, Main Street revitalization, regulatory reform, and supporting local entrepreneurship. Moderate Republican focused on practical business solutions rather than culture war issues.

Carlos Mendez¶

Party Registration: Democratic | Party Endorsements: none | FCAO Exam: 81%

Community college instructor and immigrant rights advocate. Focuses on education access, immigration reform, student debt relief, and expanding career technical education. Registered Democrat but has not received party endorsement, possibly due to crowded Democratic field.

Sophia Patel¶

Party Registration: Green | Party Endorsements: Green, Working Families | FCAO Exam: 87%

Organic farmer and sustainable agriculture advocate with 15 years farming experience. Emphasizes agricultural policy, environmental protection, food security, climate-resilient agriculture, and supporting family farms. Coalition endorsement from Working Families Party shows labor-environmental alliance.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR BALLOT¶

Party Registration vs. Party Endorsements¶

Party Registration (shown in the table): - Shows which party, if any, the candidate is registered with - Examples: Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Green, none

Party Endorsements (shown in the table): - Shows which parties formally endorsed this candidate - Candidates may receive up to three endorsements - Examples: Democratic, Working Families | Republican | Independent

What It Means:

Democratic | Democratic, Working Families (Martinez) = Democrat endorsed by Democrats and Working Families Party
Democratic | Democratic, Working Families, Green (O'Brien) = Maximum three endorsements showing broad progressive coalition
Republican | Republican, Forward (Anderson) = Republican with additional Forward Party endorsement
Republican | none (Torres) = Republican who lost party endorsement, running without support
Democratic | none (Mendez) = Democrat without party endorsement
none | Independent (Kim) = True independent, not registered with any party
none | Forward (Park) = Not registered with a party, but endorsed by Forward Party
Green | Green, Working Families (Patel) = Green Party member with coalition endorsement

About the FCAO Exam¶

All candidates for federal office are required to take the Federal Candidate Assessment Office (FCAO) examination, which tests knowledge of:

U.S. Constitutional structure and principles
Federal government powers and limitations
Bill of Rights and civil liberties
Legislative, executive, and judicial branch functions
Historical context of American governance

The FCAO examination is a transparency mechanism, not a qualification barrier. No minimum score is required -- candidates scoring 0% may still run and serve if voters choose them. Scores are displayed on ballots to help voters assess candidates' understanding of constitutional governance and federal office responsibilities.

Candidates may retake the exam unlimited times, with only their highest score reported. This allows candidates to demonstrate improvement and commitment to learning.

FCAO Exam Range in This Election: - Highest: Jennifer Kim (Independent) - 95% - 90%+ (3 candidates): Kim (95%), Chen (92%), Wilson (91%) - 80-89% (7 candidates): Park (89%), Martinez (88%), Patel (87%), Rodriguez (85%), Harris (84%), O'Brien (83%), Mendez (81%) - Below 80% (2 candidates): Anderson (79%), Torres (77%)

HOW PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION WORKS¶

With 5 seats to fill and 12 candidates running, this district uses STAR Proportional Representation to ensure voters across the political spectrum get fair representation:

Your scores matter: Rate candidates honestly based on your level of support
Proportional allocation: The system ensures that groups of voters who share preferences get representation roughly proportional to their numbers
No wasted votes: Unlike single-member districts, your vote counts even if your top choices don't all win
Coalition representation: The 5 winners will likely represent different viewpoints, reflecting the diversity of the district

Example Outcome: If voters in this district are roughly 40% progressive, 35% conservative, and 25% moderate/independent, the 5 elected Representatives might be: - 2 progressive Democrats (Martinez, Rodriguez, or O'Brien) - 2 Republicans (Chen, Anderson, or Harris) - 1 moderate/independent (Kim, Park, Wilson, or Patel)

This ensures everyone gets representation, not just the plurality.

CANDIDATE SCENARIOS ILLUSTRATED¶

Democratic Party Division¶

The four Democratic candidates show party diversity: - Sarah Martinez (Dem, WF) - Moderate, business-focused with labor support - Maria Rodriguez (Dem, Green) - Progressive with environmental focus - Patricia O'Brien (Dem, WF, Green) - Most progressive with maximum coalition support - Carlos Mendez (Dem, none) - No party endorsement despite registration

This demonstrates how proportional representation allows parties to run multiple candidates representing different wings without splitting votes destructively.

Republican Party Division¶

The four Republican candidates show conservative diversity: - James Chen (Rep) - High Civics score (92%), law-and-order moderate - Thomas Anderson (Rep, Forward) - Reform-minded veteran with cross-party appeal - Elizabeth Harris (Rep) - Business-focused pragmatist - Michael Torres (Rep, none) - Lost party endorsement, running independently

Torres's lack of endorsement signals internal party conflict - voters can see clearly that his own party doesn't support him.

Independent and Third-Party Options¶

Five candidates outside the Democratic-Republican binary: - Jennifer Kim (none, Ind) - Highest Civics score, true independent - Robert Wilson (Lib) - Academic libertarian, civil liberties focus - David Park (none, Forward) - Tech-focused reformer - Sophia Patel (Green, WF) - Environmental-labor coalition

These candidates provide alternatives to major party options while building coalitions through Joint Endorsement Lists.

Coalition Building Through Endorsements¶

Note the coalition patterns: - Progressive coalition: O'Brien (Dem, WF, Green), Patel (Green, WF) - Reform coalition: Anderson (Rep, Forward), Park (Forward) - Labor coalition: Martinez (Dem, WF), O'Brien (Dem, WF, Green), Patel (Green, WF) - Single party: Chen (Rep), Harris (Rep), Wilson (Lib), Rodriguez (Dem, Green)

WHY RATE ALL CANDIDATES?¶

Even if you have clear favorites, rating all candidates helps:

Backup preferences: If your favorites get elected early, your scores for other candidates help determine remaining winners
Coalition building: Your ratings show which candidates you find acceptable, helping elect representatives who can work together
Prevent worst outcomes: Rating candidates you dislike as 0 prevents them from being elected with your support
Full participation: All your scores count throughout the proportional allocation process

You can't hurt your favorites by rating others! The proportional system ensures that once your highly-rated candidates are elected, your ballot is reweighted to give other voters fair influence on remaining seats.

STRATEGIC VOTING EXAMPLES¶

Progressive Voter¶

A progressive voter might rate: - O'Brien: ⑤ (maximum coalition support) - Rodriguez: ⑤ (strong environmental credentials) - Martinez: ④ (moderate but acceptable) - Patel: ④ (Green-labor coalition) - Mendez: ③ (progressive but unendorsed) - Kim: ③ (independent, healthcare focus) - Park: ② (reformer, acceptable moderate) - Wilson: ① (libertarian, disagree on economics) - Anderson: ① (Republican but reform-minded) - Harris: ⓪ (business Republican) - Chen: ⓪ (law-and-order conservative) - Torres: ⓪ (traditional conservative)

Conservative Voter¶

A conservative voter might rate: - Chen: ⑤ (highest Civics score, solid conservative) - Harris: ⑤ (business-focused, practical) - Anderson: ④ (veteran, reform-minded) - Torres: ③ (conservative but no party support) - Wilson: ③ (libertarian, fiscal conservative) - Kim: ② (independent, acceptable moderate) - Park: ① (reformer but too centrist) - Martinez: ① (Democrat but business-friendly) - Rodriguez: ⓪ (progressive environmental focus) - O'Brien: ⓪ (union organizer, too progressive) - Mendez: ⓪ (progressive Democrat) - Patel: ⓪ (Green Party)

Independent/Moderate Voter¶

An independent voter might rate: - Kim: ⑤ (highest Civics score, true independent) - Park: ⑤ (reformer, good governance focus) - Anderson: ④ (bipartisan veteran) - Martinez: ④ (pragmatic Democrat) - Harris: ③ (moderate Republican) - Chen: ③ (smart conservative) - Wilson: ③ (civil liberties focus) - Rodriguez: ② (smart but very progressive) - Patel: ② (good on agriculture) - Mendez: ① (education focus but unproven) - O'Brien: ① (too union-focused) - Torres: ⓪ (lost party support, concerning)

PARTY AND COALITION BREAKDOWN¶

By Party Registration¶

Democratic (4): Martinez, Rodriguez, O'Brien, Mendez
Republican (4): Chen, Anderson, Torres, Harris
Independent (2): Kim, Park
Libertarian (1): Wilson
Green (1): Patel

By Endorsement Pattern¶

Three endorsements (1): O'Brien (Dem, WF, Green)
Two endorsements (5): Martinez (Dem, WF), Rodriguez (Dem, Green), Anderson (Rep, Forward), Patel (Green, WF)
One endorsement (4): Chen (Rep), Wilson (Lib), Harris (Rep), Kim (Ind), Park (Forward)
No endorsement (2): Torres (Rep registered), Mendez (Dem registered)

By FCAO Exam¶

95%: Kim
90-94%: Chen (92%), Wilson (91%)
85-89%: Park (89%), Martinez (88%), Patel (87%), Rodriguez (85%)
80-84%: Harris (84%), O'Brien (83%), Mendez (81%)
75-79%: Anderson (79%), Torres (77%)

VOTE BOTH SIDES OF BALLOT
Turn ballot over for additional races →

This is a mock ballot created for educational purposes to demonstrate STAR Proportional Representation voting, Joint Endorsement Lists, and Federal Candidate Assessment Office (FCAO) examination requirements as proposed in the Federal Elections Modernization Act (FEMA).

📄 Download this document (opens on GitHub -- click the ⬇ download button)

Prepared by:
Albert E. Ramos
Director, The American Policy Architecture Institute