a way for citizens to vote by mail when they can’t get to their polling place

Absentee voters include people in the military, college students living away from home, voters who are ill, and people who will be out of the country on Election Day. Eligible voters use a special form that must be returned before Election Day.

a list of candidates and proposals for which citizens can vote

The ballot may be printed on paper, set up on a voting machine or computer, or available on the Internet.

involving two political parties

The word is usually used to describe cooperation between Democrats and Republicans. For instance, Democrats and Republicans may work together on bipartisan legislation.

a state with a recent history of voting for the Democratic candidates in presidential races

the group of important advisers to the president

Most members of the Cabinet head major agencies such as the Department of Defense and Department of Education. The president holds regular Cabinet meetings.

a connected series of events leading up to an election

A presidential campaign includes communicating a candidate's ideas to voters, meeting with voters, and debating with opponents.

a meeting of people from a political party to choose a candidate

A caucus is also a group of lawmakers united by common goals, such as the Hispanic Caucus in Congress.

the parts of a man’s formal jacket that hang down the back

A presidential candidate’s popularity often helps other members of the same party win their own elections. A successful popular candidate is said to have carried others to victory on his or her coattails.

a person who tends to uphold tradition and resist major changes in laws and institutions

Conservatives generally favor smaller government. That means they prefer government to play a minor role in society and business. They favor low taxes, little regulation, and few government programs. Of the two main political parties, the Republican Party is regarded as more conservative.

something of value that is given to a political campaign

Usually, it is money, but it can also be something such as office equipment or advertising space.

a meeting held by a political party to formally choose candidates for president and vice president

During the convention, party members also adopt a party platform (the party’s positions on important issues). The two major parties hold national conventions every four years.

a candidate who unexpectedly wins a party’s nomination

A dark horse candidate is often not well known.

a discussion or an argument about issues

In many political races, candidates participate in organized debates to allow voters to compare their views.

a political party member chosen to represent other members at conventions or meetings

Delegates vote to pick party candidates at the party’s national convention.

generally considered the more liberal of the two major U.S. political parties

Founded in 1828, it has been associated in modern times with social welfare programs (that is, programs that help many people). Its symbol is the donkey.

a political region

Each state is divided into a number of districts. A voter can vote only in the district in which he or she lives for candidates to represent the district in local and national political offices.

a country’s system for producing and consuming, or using, goods and services and for managing resources

Generally, the economy grows if people produce and buy more things than they did the previous year. More jobs are available, and times are good. The economy shrinks if production and consumption drop off. Jobs become hard to get.

By law, Election Day in the United States is always on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Presidential elections are held every four years.
 

a person chosen by the voters of each state to cast a ballot for president and vice president

Electors vote on behalf of their state in the Electoral College.

a group of representatives chosen by voters in each state to elect the U.S. president and vice president

Each state has a certain number of electors. That number is based on the number of senators and representatives in Congress (which is, in turn, based on population). The candidate who wins the popular vote in a state on Election Day usually wins all that state’s electors (Maine and Nebraska have a slightly different system). A candidate must win at least 270 of the total 538 electoral votes to become president or vice president.

voting system that lets people cast their ballots on computers

a formal announcement of support for a candidate by an individual or a group

an Election Day poll based on interviews with voters who have just left polling places

Exit polls are considered the most accurate because no nonvoters are included.

leaders in the founding of the United States; specifically, members of the Constitutional Convention of 1787

the initials for “Grand Old Party,” a nickname for the Republican Party

The nickname originated in the 1870s, when Republicans referred to their party as the “grand old party” or “gallant old party.” Although the name implies that the Republican Party is the oldest, the Democratic Party is at least 26 years older.

a system of control and direction of public functions

In the United States, voters choose their government leaders by voting in elections. There are three main layers of government—federal, state, and local. Each has different jobs, ranging from national defense at the federal level to garbage pickup at the local level.

a nationally-recognized third party focused on protecting the environment and promoting peace, equality, and social justice

money contributed to a political campaign that is regulated by U.S. laws

a current officeholder

voters who are not registered as members of a political party

This term can also refer to voters who do not consistently vote for any particular party, regardless of how they are registered.

a big majority of votes for one candidate

a political belief that favors big political change to achieve equal rights and opportunities for all people

a person who is open to change

Politically, liberals tend to favor using government power to fix social and economic problems and to support freedom of personal choice and behavior. Of the two major political parties, the Democratic Party is generally regarded as more liberal.

a nationally-recognized third party focused on reducing the size of government and promoting civil liberties and free trade among nations

in the United States, one of the two parties (Democratic and Republican) that dominates politics

All other parties are considered third parties.

an advertisement that attacks a candidate’s opponent

the appointment of a candidate by a political party

having no ties to a political party

following a group or political party loyally

a single goal or belief stated in a political party’s platform

a party’s formal statement of its philosophy and goals

The platform is written and adopted at the party’s national convention. It is made up of several planks, or positions on given issues.

a group that raises money to promote or defeat a candidate

A PAC is usually formed to push for political action toward a specific ideal or goal.

a survey of public opinion

The only reliable polls are scientific ones, in which a population (such as all seventh graders at a school) is interviewed at random. Poll questions must be carefully worded to avoid bias. A poll captures public opinion at a single point in time.

a public building where eligible voters can cast their ballots on Election Day

Often schools are used as polling places.

the choice of voters in a U.S. election

Usually, if a candidate wins a majority of the popular vote in a state, he or she wins that state’s votes in the Electoral College. However, a candidate can lose the popular vote nationwide and still win the electoral vote and become president. In 2000, Al Gore got 500,000 more popular votes than George Bush, but Bush won states that had a greater number of Electoral College votes. He won 271 electoral votes to Gore’s 266 and became president.

the leader of the United States

A president’s term is four years. By law, a president may serve no more than two terms. The president is the chief of the executive branch of government. It carries out the laws enacted by Congress, which is the legislative branch.

a statewide election in which voters nominate a political party’s candidate for office

The candidate chosen by the most voters in the primary represents the party in the general election. A primary is held when more than one candidate is running for the same political office. An open primary welcomes all voters. A closed primary allows only registered members of that party to vote. Nominees can also be chosen by a caucus.

a campaign tactic in which pollsters call voters and ask biased questions

An example of a push poll question might be, “Would you still vote for [candidate name] if you knew he used drugs?” A push poll is not a true poll; its aim is to push voters away from a particular candidate, not to survey public opinion.

a state with a recent history of voting for the Republican candidates in presidential races

generally considered the more conservative of the two major U.S. political parties

Founded in 1846, the Republican party has been associated in modern times with the interests of business. Its symbol is the elephant, and its nickname is the “Grand Old Party,” or GOP.

having a conservative set of beliefs that not favoring big political change or large government

money raised by a political party that is not regulated by U.S. laws

It is often used to get around legal limits on the amount of hard money candidates can spend.

a candidate who has little or no chance of winning an election but who can drain votes from other candidates

the practice of voting for only the candidates from one political party in an election; the opposite of ticket splitting

an unscientific poll, such as an Internet poll or a radio call-in poll

Straw polls are unscientific, in part, because the responses are not randomly chosen. Straw polls can be fun or interesting but are not a reliable measure of public opinion.

a political action committee to which corporations, unions, and other organizations can donate as much money as they wish

a political party leader or an elected official at a national convention who is an unpledged delegate

Most delegates represent voters in a particular state. They have pledged, or promised, to vote in a way that represents the voters in their state. A superdelegate does not represent a state. Unlike a pledged delegate, a superdelegate may vote for any presidential nominee without restrictions.

a state in which voters are as likely to vote for one major party as they are to vote for the other

Neither party can count on winning in a swing state. Though some states traditionally vote Republican or Democratic, swing states have voting patterns that are less predictable.

a conservative and libertarian political movement focused on promoting reductions in federal spending, taxation, and deficits

The Tea Party is not recognized as an official third party.

a political party other than the Democratic or Republican, the two dominant parties in the United States

the slate, or list, of candidates for office nominated by a party during an election

In 2012, the “top of the ticket” will be the presidential and vice presidential candidates. In an election held between presidential elections, the top candidates might be running for governor or Congress.

choosing candidates from different parties for different offices in the same election

For example, a voter who splits the ticket may select the Democratic presidential candidate and a Republican senatorial candidate. This is the opposite of straight-ticket voting.

one-day polls taken over a set time

Tracking polls can show the ups and downs of a candidate’s popularity over time. They are not as accurate as more comprehensive polls taken over several days.

the percentage of workers who cannot find jobs

The U.S. Department of Labor releases unemployment numbers near the beginning of each month.

a person chosen as next in rank to the president

If a U.S. president falls ill or dies, the vice president steps in as the country’s leader. The vice president is president of the Senate but votes only to break a tie.