U.S. Voting, Parties, Campaigns, and Media: Key Terms and Concepts

Absentee ballot

Voting by mail because you can't make it to the polls.

Australian Ballot

A secret ballot printed by the government (what we use today).

Electorate

The whole group of people who are allowed to vote.

Franchise

The right to vote.

Literacy test

A fake 'reading test' used in the past to stop Black people from voting.

Poll tax

A fee people used to have to pay to vote (now illegal).

Polling place

The building where you go to cast your vote.

Precinct

Your small local voting neighborhood.

Preclearance

A rule (mostly overturned) that required certain states to get federal permission before changing voting laws.

Recall

A 'do-over' election to kick an official out of office early.

Referendum

When citizens vote directly on a specific law or issue.

Split ticket

Voting for a Democrat for one office and a Republican for another on the same ballot.

Voter apathy

When people just don't care about voting or politics.

Voting blocs

Groups of people (like 'the youth vote' or 'suburban women') who tend to vote the same way.

White primary

An old, illegal practice of only letting white people vote in primary elections.

Caucus

A local meeting where party members pick candidates by talking and voting in person.

Closed primary

You can only vote if you are a registered member of that party.

Open primary

Any voter can pick which party's primary to vote in, regardless of their registration.

Coalition

A partnership of different groups working together to win.

Dealignment

When people stop identifying with any political party.

Democratic/Republican National Committee (DNC/RNC)

The 'headquarters' or management for the two major parties.

Grand Old Party (GOP)

Another name for the Republican Party.

Iowa Caucuses

The very first big contest in the presidential race.

Minor parties

Third parties (like the Green Party) that rarely win major elections.

Party chairperson

The manager/boss of a political party.

Party convention

A massive meeting where a party officially picks its presidential candidate.

Platform

The list of goals and beliefs a party stands for.

Rank and file

The 'regular' members of a party, not the leaders.

Realignments

A major shift where voters switch which party they support for a long time.

Single-issue parties

Parties that only care about one thing (e.g., the Prohibition Party).

Single-member districts

An election where only one person wins to represent an area.

Splinter/bolter parties

A small party that broke away from a big one.

Super Tuesday

A day when a ton of states all hold their primaries at once.

Superdelegates

Important party insiders who get a vote at the convention regardless of the primary results.

Two-party system

A system where only two parties have a real chance of winning.

Citizens United v. FEC

The court case that said corporations/unions can spend unlimited money on political ads.

Direct lobbying

Talking directly to politicians to convince them to change laws.

Grassroots lobbying

Getting the general public to call or email politicians to pressure them.

Hard money

Regulated, limited money given directly to a candidate.

Soft money

Unregulated money given to parties for 'party building' (mostly banned now).

Lobbyist

A person paid to represent an interest group and influence government.

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Groups that raise and spend money to elect or defeat candidates.

Super PAC

A group that can raise unlimited money but cannot 'talk' or coordinate with the candidate.

Public interest group

A group working for the benefit of everyone (like environmental or consumer groups).

Pluralism

The idea that having many different interest groups competing is good for democracy.

Fairness Doctrine

An old rule that required TV/Radio to show both sides of an issue (no longer exists).

Horse race journalism

Reporting on who is 'winning' the polls instead of what the candidates actually believe.

Incumbent

The person who currently holds the office and is running for re-election.

Muckrakers

Old-school investigative reporters who exposed corruption.

Yellow journalism

Fake or 'clickbait' news used to shock people and sell papers.

Political efficacy

The belief that your vote and participation actually matter.

Shield laws

Laws that protect reporters from having to name their secret sources in court.

Citizens United v. FEC

Supreme Court case that ruled corporations and unions can spend unlimited money on independent political campaigns, saying this spending is protected by the First Amendment (free speech). ed to the rise of Super PACs.