ELECTION SPELLING/VOCABULARY

Battleground states

states in an election where both candidates have a good chance of winning, so they get a lot of attention and campaigning.

Blue collar/white collar

A blue-collar job involves physical work, like building or fixing things, while a white-collar job involves office work, like using computers or managing people.

Electoral vote

a vote by special people called electors that helps decide who becomes president in the United States, and each state has a specific amount of votes.

Lame duck

a person in a job, like a president or leader, who is about to leave and can't make big changes anymore.

Lobbyist

Professionals who work to convince legislators to support their political agendas.

Mudslinging

Engaging in negative remarks or accusations against another candidate during a campaign.

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Private organizations that collect campaign contributions and donate them to specific candidates.

Red/Blue/Purple states

Red states lean Republican, Blue states lean Democratic, and Purple states could go either way.

Soft money

It’s money given to political groups to support a candidate, but not for specific campaigns, and it can be used for things like ads or promoting ideas.

Sound bites

Catchy phrases candidates use to summarize their positions and enhance media coverage.

Spin

The practice of interpreting events in a positive light to diminish negative attention.

Stump speech

A standard speech that candidates deliver repetitively during their campaign.

Swift-boating

The act of discrediting a candidate's reputation, originating from John Kerry's 2004 campaign.

Swing voters

These are people who can change their minds about who to vote for, and their choice can decide who wins the election.

Youth Vote

Voters aged 18 to 24, typically with low turnout rates.

Acceptance speech

A speech given by a candidate upon winning an election.

Concession statement

The statement by a losing candidate acknowledging their loss to another.

Dark horse

A candidate about whom little is known who unexpectedly wins an election.

Also ran

The candidate who loses an election.

Ballot box

The place where votes are cast.