american government

nonvoting voter

Someone who votes in an election, but doesn't vote for every office on the ballot. Ex: might vote for the presidential candidate, but not vote for a congressional candidate in the same election.

Poll tax

A special tax, demanded by States, as a condition of voting.

literacy tests

Examinations to determine a person's reading and writing abilities, often used to restrict voting rights.

nonvoters

Individuals who choose not to vote in elections.

General Federal elections

Elections during which most of the electorate casts their vote.

nominating stage

The phase in the electoral process that sets limits on the choices voters can make in general elections.

primary process

The series of elections where political parties select their candidates for the general election.

Constitution

The foundational legal document that limits the qualifications that States can choose for voting.

Precinct

The smallest geographic unit for conducting an election.

Motor Voter Law

Legislation that makes every state allow eligible citizens to register to vote when they apply for or renew a driver's license.

party identification

The loyalty of people to a political party.

poll watchers

Individuals who ensure that only qualified people vote.

office group ballot

A ballot where candidates for an office are grouped together under the title of that office.

party column ballot

A ballot where the party symbol and name of the party are at the top of the column that lists all of the party's candidates running for office.

Self-Announcement

The oldest form of the nominating process in the United States.

fraudulent voting

Voting that is conducted in a deceptive manner, which is why 49/50 States require eligible voters to register before casting their ballots.

voting machines

Devices used to minimize vote counting errors, speed up the voting process, and reduce the number of persons needed to administer elections.

Straight-Ticket Voting

The practice of voting for candidates of only one party in an election.

Coattail Effect

The effect of a strong candidate running for an office at the top of a ballot helping to attract voters to other candidates on the party's ticket.

Split-Ticket Voting

Voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election

Political Efficacy

One's own influence or effectiveness on politics.

Runoff Primary

A primary in which the top two vote-getters in the first direct primary face one another.

Open Primary

A party-nominating election in which any qualified voter can take part.

Blanket Primary

A voting process in which voters receive a long ballot containing the names of all contenders, regardless of party, and can vote however they choose.

Direct Primary

An election held within a party to pick that party's candidates for general election.

Closed Primary

A party nominating election in which only declared party members can vote.

Ballot Fatigue

The idea/theory that voters exhaust their patience and/or knowledge as they work their way down the ballot.

Political Socialization

The process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions.

Off-Year Elections

Congressional election that occurs between presidential election years.

Transients

Person living in a State for only a short time, without legal residence.

Purge

The process of reviewing lists of registered voters and removing the names of those no longer eligible to vote.

Literacy

A person's ability to read or write.

Independent

A term used to describe people who have no party affiliation.

Polling Place

The place where the voters who live in a certain precinct go to vote.

Absentee Ballot

Provisions made for those unable to get to their regular polling places on election day.

Ballot

The device voters use to register a choice in an election.

Nomination

The process of candidate selection in an electoral system.