In a true democracy, people are free to disagree. As we enter the 2008 election cycle, we will see candidates, voters, pollsters, and pundits agree and disagree on just about everything. Do voters choose the president based on issues or leadership qualities? Does the Electoral College work or should the election system be changed? Do political polls mean anything months before an election?

Far ahead of the 2008 elections, campaigning was well underway, the presidential candidates had already held several debates, campaign ads were popping up, and poll results were cited frequently. In the 2008 elections, U.S. voters will have the opportunity to vote for president and vice president, congressional representatives, state and local officials, and ballot initiatives. There is much at stake. As several writers point out in this journal, this is the first election in 80 years with no incumbent president or vice president running for office. Political experts Charlie Cook and Jerry Hagstrom provide insights to set the scene. In a very open field, with 18 presidential candidates in the race as this journal goes to press, no one ventures to predict a winner.

The presidential election is just part of the story. In the U.S. system of divided government, the outcome of congressional elections will determine how successful the next president will be in carrying out his or her agenda. Professor of government L. Sandy Maisel describes the role of Congress and the potential impact of congressional elections.

Democratic pollster Daniel Gotoff tells us what opinion polls reveal about voters' attitudes toward the 2008 election and how current hot-button issues might play out over the election cycle. Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway looks at women voters, the importance of their vote in the next election, and the issues women care about.

Three experts share their perspectives on the media's role in election campaigns. Long-time Washington Post political reporter Jim Dickenson gives a first-person account of a day in the life of a reporter covering the election. Internet guru Andy Carvin describes how citizen journalism, blogs, Internet fundraising, and social networking sites have affected the political process and, therefore, cannot be ignored in the 2008 election cycle. Pollster John Zogby discusses the value of information acquired through public opinion polls.

Finally, we take a look at the process. Is the U.S. system of elections perfect? Of course not — no system is perfect. Jan Witold Baran describes legislation designed to correct problems associated with campaign finance. The Electoral College, the state-by-state voting system under which American presidents are elected, has been debated throughout its history; experts Ross K. Baker and Jamie Raskin present arguments for and against the system's usefulness. Paul S. DeGregorio, former chair of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, discusses efforts to improve state election processes.

What is the story of the 2008 U.S. election? The election is a fresh start, an opportunity for voters to go to the polls and vote their beliefs. The election system is a work-in-progress, but concerned Americans can and do get on the Internet and organize, register to vote, donate to their candidate, host meet-the-candidate coffees, become local elections poll watchers or judges, and work actively in many ways to make the system better.

The Editors