Presidential Vocabulary

Absentee Ballot

A special kind of voting ballot that allows people to vote in an election even if they can't go to the voting location on Election Day.

Demographics

Characteristics of a group of people, such as age, gender, income, and where they live.

Electoral College

A group of electors who officially choose the president and vice president of the United States based on state populations.

Incumbent

The person who currently holds a political office, often having an advantage when running for re-election.

Independent Voters

People who do not belong to a political party and can vote for any candidate.

Margin of Error

A statistic that shows how accurate a poll or survey is, indicating how much results might differ from actual votes.

Political Polling

Research that involves asking people questions to predict how they might vote in an election.

Rural

An area outside of cities and towns, characterized by farmland, forests, or open spaces.

Suburb

A smaller town or area adjacent to a larger city.

Swing State

A state with close voting between Democratic and Republican candidates, crucial in presidential elections.

Toss-Up

An election race that is too close to call, with either candidate having a good chance of winning.

Voter Turnout

The percentage of registered voters who actually cast a ballot in an election.