The statement that best illustrates elections in the U.S. is: "There are hundreds of thousands of elections at local, state, and national levels in the U.S."
This response highlights the widespread nature of elections throughout the country across various levels of government. The other statements either contain inaccuracies or do not provide a comprehensive view of the electoral system in the U.S. For instance, there are elected officials at local governments, and while the federal government includes elected representatives, the number mentioned (7,000) does not accurately reflect the total number of elected officials when considering state and local levels as well. Similarly, all states do elect various state executives, including attorneys general and secretaries of state, along with governors.