Magruders American Government Chapter 7 ( Prentice Hall)

nomination

the naming of those who will seek office- is a critically important step in the election process.

General Election

Regularly scheduled elections at which voters make the final selection of officeholders- much as democracies do. But typically, the ballots used in those elections list only one candidate for each office.

Caucus

a group of like minded people who meet to select the candidates they support in an upcoming election.

Direct Primary

intra- party election. It is held within a party to pick that party's candidates for the general election.

Closed Primary

a party's nominating election in which only declared party members can vote. The party's primary is closed to all but those party members.

Open primary

party's nominating election in which any qualified voter can cast a ballot. Although it is the form in which the direct primary first appeared, it is now found in only 26 states.

Blanket Primary

sometimes called the "wide open primary". Washington adopted the first blanket

runoff primary

if no one wins a majority in a race, the runoff primary is held a few weeks later.The two top vote-getters in the first party primary face one another for the party's nomination, and the winner of that vote becomes the nominee.

nonpartisan elections

elections in which candidates are not identified by party labels. About half of all state judges are chosen on nonpartisan ballots, as well. The nomination of candidates for these offices takes place on a nonpartisan basis, too, often in nonpartisan primaries.

absentee voting

a process by which they could vote without actually going to their polling places on election day. Almost everywhere, voters can apply for an absentee ballot for some weeks before an election day, then mark those ballots and return them to the local election office, usually by mail and before election day.

coattail effect

when a strong candidate running for an office at the top of the ballot helps attract voters to other candidates on the party's ticket. In effect, the lesser- known officer seeker "rides the coattails" of the more prestigious personality.

precinct

a voting district. Precincts are the smallest geographic units for the conduct of elections. State law restricts their size

polling place

the place where voters who live in a precinct actually vote- is located somewhere in or near each precinct.

ballot

the device by which a voter registers a choice in an election. It can take a number of different forms. Whatever it's form, however, it is clearly important and sensitive part of the election process.

political action committee (PAC)

political arms of special- interest and other organizations with a stake in electoral politics.

subsidy

a grant of money, usually from a government. Subsidies have so far been most important at the presidential level.

hard money

money raised and spent to elect the candidates for Congress and the White House.

Soft money

funds given to party organizations for such "party building activities" as candidate recruitment, voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, and similar efforts.