7 Voting and Elections

Ballot fatigue

The result when a voter stops voting for offices and initiatives at the bottom of a long ballot.

Caucus

A form of candidate nomination that occurs in a town-hall style format rather than a day-long election; usually reserved for presidential elections.

Chronic minority

Voters who belong to political parties that tend not to be competitive in national elections due to size or Electoral College distribution.

Closed primary

An election in which only voters registered with a party may vote for that party’s candidates.

Coattail effect

The result when a popular presidential candidate helps candidates from the same party win their own elections.

Delegates

Party members chosen to represent a particular candidate at the party’s state- or national-level nominating convention.

District system

The means by which electoral votes are divided between candidates based on district wins and/or state results.

Early voting

An accommodation that allows voting up to two weeks before Election Day.

Electoral College

The constitutionally created group of individuals chosen by the states to formally select the next U.S. president.

Incumbency advantage

The advantage held by officeholders that allows them to often win reelection.

Incumbent

The current holder of a political office.

Initiative

A law or constitutional amendment proposed and passed by voters, subject to state court review; also called a proposition.

Midterm elections

Congressional elections that occur in the even-numbered years between presidential election years.

Open primary

An election in which any registered voter may vote in any party’s primary or caucus.

Platform

The set of issues important to the political party and the party delegates.

Political action committees (PACs)

Organizations created to raise money for political campaigns and influence policy and politics.

Recall

The removal of a politician or government official by the voters.

Referendum

A yes or no vote by citizens on a law or candidate proposed by the state government.

Residency requirement

The stipulation that a citizen must live in a state for a determined period before registering to vote as a resident.

Shadow campaign

A campaign run by political action committees and other organizations without coordination with the candidate.

Straight-ticket voting

The practice of voting only for candidates from the same party.

Super PACs

Organizations that can fundraise and spend freely to support or attack a candidate but cannot contribute directly or strategize with a candidate’s campaign.

Top-two primary

A primary election in which the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, become the nominees for the general election.

Voter fatigue

The result when voters grow tired of voting and stay home from the polls.

Voting-age population

The number of citizens over eighteen.

Voting-eligible population

The number of citizens eligible to vote.

Winner-take-all system

A system where all electoral votes for a state are given to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state.