12th Amendment: This amendment, ratified in 1804, changed the way presidential elections were conducted. It separated the voting for President and Vice President, requiring electors to cast distinct votes for each office.

15th Amendment: Ratified in 1870, this amendment prohibited the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude, granting African American men the right to vote.

19th Amendment: Ratified in 1920, this amendment granted women the right to vote, prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on sex.

23rd Amendment: Ratified in 1961, this amendment allowed Washington, D.C., residents to vote in presidential elections by granting them electoral college representation.

24th Amendment: Ratified in 1964, this amendment prohibited the use of poll taxes or other taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections.

26th Amendment: Ratified in 1971, this amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, granting younger adults the right to vote.

501(c)4s: These are tax-exempt organizations under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. They engage in social welfare activities and can engage in some political activities, but their primary focus must be social welfare.

527s: These are political organizations under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code. They are primarily focused on influencing elections and can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on political activities.

Battleground states: Also known as swing states or competitive states, these are states where the outcome of an election is uncertain or where either major party has a chance of winning.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976): This Supreme Court case ruled that certain limits on campaign contributions and expenditures were constitutional but struck down other provisions, including limits on a candidate's personal spending on their campaign.

Bush v. Gore (2000): This Supreme Court case decided the disputed 2000 presidential election, ruling that the recount process in Florida violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Caucus (electoral): A caucus is a meeting of party members where they discuss and choose candidates for office, typically using a series of discussions and votes.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010): This Supreme Court case ruled that political spending by corporations and unions is protected by the First Amendment, leading to the rise of Super PACs and increased political spending by outside groups.

Coattails: Refers to the tendency of a popular candidate to attract votes for other candidates in their party, helping them win elections.

Constituency: The group of people that a political representative or candidate serves or represents.

Critical election: An election that marks a significant shift in political power or realignment of political parties, often accompanied by major changes in policy or ideology.

Demographic: Refers to characteristics such as age, gender, income, education, race, and ethnicity that are used to categorize and analyze groups within a population.

Disenfranchisement: The deprivation or denial of voting rights, often based on factors such as race, gender, age, or criminal conviction.

Electoral College: The system used in the United States to elect the President and Vice President, where electors from each state cast votes based on the popular vote in their state.

Electorate: The total number of eligible voters in a specific area or jurisdiction.

Favorite son: A candidate who receives the support of their home state or region in a political contest.

Federal Election Campaign Act (1971): Legislation that established disclosure requirements for federal candidates, limited campaign contributions, and created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to enforce campaign finance laws.

Federal Election Commission (FEC): An independent regulatory agency responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws in federal elections.

Front-runner: The candidate who is leading in polls or perceived as most likely to win an election.

General election: An election where voters choose from candidates representing various political parties to fill public offices.

Grassroots organizing: Political organizing that starts at the local level, often involving volunteers and community-based efforts to mobilize support for a cause or candidate.

Hard money & soft money: Hard money refers to contributions directly to a candidate's campaign and subject to federal limits. Soft money refers to contributions to political parties or committees for activities not directly supporting a candidate and not subject to the same limits.

Incumbency: The status of holding a particular office. Incumbents often have advantages in elections, such as name recognition and access to resources.

Initiative: A process where citizens can propose and vote on laws or amendments directly, bypassing the legislative process.

Invisible primary: The period before the official start of primary elections where candidates compete for support, endorsements, and fundraising, often behind the scenes.

Lame duck: Refers to an elected official who is still in office but has lost re-election or is not seeking re-election.

Matching funds: Public funds provided to eligible presidential candidates who agree to limit their spending and fundraising.

McCain Feingold Bill (also, BCFRA, 2002): The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCFRA) of 2002, also known as the McCain-Feingold Act, aimed to reform campaign finance by placing limits on soft money contributions and issue advocacy ads.

McConnell v. FEC (2003): This Supreme Court case upheld most of the provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCFRA), including restrictions on soft money contributions and issue advocacy ads.

McGovern-Fraser Commission: A commission established by the Democratic Party in 1969 to reform the presidential nomination process, leading to greater transparency and participation in delegate selection.

Midterm election: An election held in the middle of a president's term, where voters elect members of Congress and other state and local offices.

Motor Voter Act (1993): The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, also known as the Motor Voter Act, aimed to increase voter registration by allowing people to register to vote when applying for a driver's license or at certain government agencies.

National Convention: A gathering of party delegates to nominate candidates for president and vice president, adopt party platforms, and conduct other party business.

Party-line voting: The practice of voting consistently for candidates of the same political party in multiple races on a ballot.

Party Platform: A set of principles, beliefs, and policy positions adopted by a political party to guide its members and candidates.

Political Action Committees (PACs): Organizations that raise and spend money to support or oppose candidates, parties, or issues in elections.

Poll Tax: A poll tax is a fee that individuals were required to pay in order to vote in elections. Historically, poll taxes were used as a means of disenfranchising certain groups, particularly African Americans in the southern United States, by making it financially burdensome for them to exercise their right to vote.

Presidential Election Campaign Fund: This fund is established by the federal government to provide public financing for presidential election campaigns. Candidates who accept public funding from this fund must adhere to certain spending limits and disclosure requirements.

Presidential Primary: A presidential primary is an election held within a political party to determine the party's nominee for the presidency. Voters in each state or territory cast their ballots for their preferred candidate, and delegates are awarded to candidates based on the results.

Open Primary: A primary election in which voters can choose to vote for a candidate from any political party, regardless of their own party affiliation

Closed Primary: A primary election in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote for that party's candidates

Run-off Primary: In some states, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes in a primary election, a run-off primary is held between the top two candidates to determine the party's nominee.

Proportional Representation: Proportional representation is a voting system in which political parties are allocated legislative seats based on the percentage of votes they receive in an election. This system aims to ensure that the distribution of seats in a legislative body reflects the overall vote share of each party.

Prospective Voting: Prospective voting occurs when voters make decisions based on the future policies and promises of candidates rather than solely on past performance or current conditions.

Rational Choice Voting: Rational choice voting is a theory that suggests voters make decisions based on a rational analysis of their self-interest, weighing the costs and benefits of different candidates or policies.

Recall: A recall is a procedure that allows voters to remove an elected official from office before their term is complete. This process typically involves collecting signatures on a petition and holding a special election.

Retrospective Voting: Retrospective voting occurs when voters base their decisions on the incumbent candidate's past performance or the current state of affairs rather than future promises.

Selective Perception: Selective perception refers to the tendency of individuals to interpret information in a way that aligns with their preexisting beliefs or biases, often leading them to discount or ignore information that contradicts their views.

Super Tuesday: Super Tuesday is a day during the presidential primary season when a large number of states hold their primary elections or caucuses. This day is significant because it can heavily influence the trajectory of the nomination process due to the high number of delegates at stake.

Super PACs: Super PACs, or Super Political Action Committees, are independent expenditure committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to support or oppose political candidates, as long as they do not coordinate directly with the candidates' campaigns.

Superdelegate: A superdelegate is an unpledged delegate to the Democratic National Convention who is typically a party leader or elected official. Superdelegates are not bound by the results of primary elections or caucuses and can support any candidate of their choosing.

Swing Voter: A swing voter is an individual who is not firmly aligned with any political party and may switch their support between candidates or parties in different elections.

Voting Rights Act (1965): The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to overcome legal barriers, such as literacy tests and poll taxes, that prevented African Americans and other minority groups from exercising their right to vote. It also authorized federal oversight of election practices in states with a history of discrimination.

White Primary: A white primary refers to the discriminatory practice, primarily in the southern United States before the mid-20th century, of allowing only white voters to participate in primary elections, excluding African American voters.

Winner-Take-All System: In a winner-take-all system, the candidate who receives the most votes in an election (such as a presidential election in certain states) receives all of the electoral votes or delegates, rather than a proportional allocation based on the vote share

Anti-Federalist/Federalist Party: The Anti-Federalists were a political group that opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in the late 18th century, arguing for stronger state governments and expressing concerns about the powers of the federal government. The Federalists, on the other hand, supported the Constitution and advocated for a strong central government.

Coalition: A coalition is a temporary alliance or partnership between different groups or individuals who come together to achieve a common goal or objective, often in politics or advocacy.

Dealignment: Dealignment refers to a trend where voters become less attached to a particular political party and are more likely to identify as independents or switch between parties, leading to a weakening of traditional party loyalty.

Democratic-Republican Party: The Democratic-Republican Party was one of the early political parties in the United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. It advocated for states' rights, limited federal government power, and agrarian interests.

Divided government: Divided government occurs when different political parties control the executive branch (such as the presidency) and the legislative branch (such as Congress), leading to potential conflicts and challenges in passing legislation.

Faction: A faction refers to a group within a larger organization or political party that has distinct interests or beliefs, sometimes leading to internal divisions or conflicts.

Grassroots organizing: Grassroots organizing involves mobilizing support and activism from the local level, often starting with ordinary citizens and community groups rather than relying solely on established political or organizational structures.

Initiative: An initiative is a process by which citizens can propose new laws or changes to existing laws through a petition and subsequent vote, bypassing the usual legislative process.

Multi-party system: A multi-party system is a political system where multiple parties compete for power and representation, often leading to coalition governments and a diversity of political viewpoints.

National Chairperson: The National Chairperson is the leader of a political party at the national level, responsible for overseeing party operations, strategy, and coordination.

National Committee (Democratic & Republican): The National Committee of a political party is a group that manages the party's affairs at the national level, including fundraising, organizing conventions, and supporting candidates.

National Convention: A National Convention is a gathering of delegates from a political party to nominate candidates for president and vice president, adopt a party platform, and conduct party business.

Partisan/bi-partisan: Partisan refers to a strong allegiance or support for a particular political party or ideology. Bipartisan refers to cooperation or agreement between members of different political parties.

Party identification: Party identification refers to an individual's psychological attachment or allegiance to a particular political party, often influencing their voting behavior and political views.

Party realignment: Party realignment refers to a significant shift in the political landscape where new issues, demographics, or alignments lead to changes in party coalitions and voter loyalties.

Patronage/spoils system: Patronage, also known as the spoils system, involves the practice of rewarding loyal supporters with government appointments or benefits, often used in political appointments or hiring.

Political Machine: A political machine is a highly organized and often corrupt political group that uses patronage, influence, and control over resources to maintain power and influence elections.

Political Party: A political party is an organized group of individuals with similar political beliefs and goals, seeking to influence government policies, promote candidates for office, and represent their constituents.

Recall: Recall is a process by which voters can remove an elected official from office before their term is completed, typically through a special election.

Referendum: A referendum is a direct vote by the electorate on a specific policy issue or law, often initiated by the government or through a citizen petition.

Single Party System: A political system where only one political party is legally allowed to hold power, often associated with authoritarian or totalitarian regimes.

Split ticket/straight ticket: Split ticket voting refers to casting votes for candidates of different political parties in the same election, while straight ticket voting means voting for all candidates from the same party.

Solid South: Refers historically to the domination of the Democratic Party in the southern United States, particularly after the Civil War until the mid-20th century.

Third party: A political party other than the two major parties (Republican and Democratic) that has the potential to influence elections and policies but often faces challenges due to the two-party system's dominance.

Truncated government: A situation where the executive branch lacks control over legislative affairs due to divided government or other factors limiting its power.

Two-Party System: A political system where two major parties dominate the electoral landscape and hold most of the political power.

Amicus curiae briefs: Legal documents filed by non-parties (such as interest groups or individuals) with an interest in a case to provide additional information or arguments to the court.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976): A Supreme Court case that upheld certain limits on campaign contributions but also ruled that spending money on one's campaign is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010): A Supreme Court case that allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns, leading to the rise of Super PACs and increased influence of money in politics.

Electioneering: Activities aimed at influencing voters' decisions during an election, including advertising, campaigning, and outreach efforts.

Free rider problem: A situation where individuals benefit from collective actions (such as advocacy by an interest group) without contributing to the effort, leading to a lack of incentive for individual participation.

Hyperpluralism: A theory suggesting that the proliferation of interest groups and their influence leads to government dysfunction and policy gridlock.

Interest group: An organization that seeks to influence government policies and decisions on behalf of its members or a particular cause.

Iron Triangle (issue network): A close relationship between a government agency, interest group, and congressional committee that often leads to policy influence and mutual benefit.

Litigation: The process of resolving legal disputes through the court system, including lawsuits filed by individuals, organizations, or interest groups.

Lobby/lobbyist: To seek to influence politicians or government officials on specific issues, often through direct communication and persuasion; a lobbyist is someone who engages in lobbying activities.

Lobbying Disclosure Act (1995): Legislation that requires lobbyists to register with the federal government and disclose their activities and expenditures.

Pluralism: A political theory that emphasizes the diversity of interest groups and their ability to compete for influence, leading to balanced policy outcomes.

Political Action Committees (PACs): Organizations that raise and spend money to support or oppose political candidates or issues, subject to campaign finance regulations.

Revolving door: The movement of individuals between government positions and roles in the private sector, sometimes raising concerns about conflicts of interest or undue influence.

Single Issue Group: An interest group focused on advocating for a specific policy or issue rather than a broad range of concerns.

Social movement: A collective effort by individuals or groups to bring about social, political, or cultural change, often outside traditional political institutions.

Bias: Bias refers to a predisposition or inclination toward a particular viewpoint or perspective, often leading to unfair or unbalanced treatment of issues or individuals.

Fairness Doctrine: The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that required broadcasters to present contrasting viewpoints on controversial issues to ensure fairness and balance in broadcasting.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC): The FCC is a government agency responsible for regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in the United States.

Focus Group: A focus group is a small, diverse group of individuals who are brought together to provide feedback and opinions on specific products, services, or ideas, often used in market research or political campaigning.

Framing: Framing refers to the way information is presented or "framed" to influence how it is perceived by the audience, often emphasizing certain aspects while downplaying others.

Gatekeeper: A gatekeeper is a person or organization that controls access to information, often in the media industry, deciding which stories or issues are worthy of coverage and which are not.

Horserace Journalism: Horserace journalism is a style of reporting that focuses on the competitive aspect of political campaigns, often emphasizing polls, fundraising, and tactics rather than substantive policy issues.

Investigative Journalism: Investigative journalism involves in-depth research and reporting to uncover hidden or unknown information, often exposing wrongdoing or corruption.

Media: Media refers to various forms of communication channels, such as newspapers, television, radio, and the internet, through which information is disseminated to the public.

Media Spin: Media spin refers to the deliberate shaping or manipulation of information by media organizations or individuals to influence public opinion or perception.

Muckraking: Muckraking is a form of investigative journalism that focuses on exposing corruption, scandals, and injustices in society, often with a critical and confrontational approach.

Narrowcasting: Narrowcasting is the practice of targeting specific, niche audiences with specialized content or messages, as opposed to broadcasting to a broad, general audience.

New Media: New media refers to digital communication technologies and platforms, such as social media, blogs, podcasts, and online news outlets, that have emerged in the digital age.

News Beats: News beats refer to specific topics or areas of coverage assigned to journalists, such as politics, education, or health, to regularly report on developments and events within those areas.

Press Conference: A press conference is a formal event where public officials or organizations make announcements or address questions from journalists and reporters.

Press Corps: The press corps refers to a group of journalists and reporters who cover news and events related to a particular government, organization, or topic.

Press Secretary: A press secretary is a spokesperson for a government official or organization who interacts with the media, issues statements, and handles press inquiries on behalf of their principal.

Priming: Priming is a psychological concept that refers to the process of influencing an audience's perception or response to subsequent information by exposing them to certain stimuli beforehand.

Public Agenda: The public agenda refers to the set of issues and topics that are currently of significant interest or concern to the public, often influenced by media coverage and political discourse.

Trial Balloons: Trial balloons are unofficial statements or proposals floated by officials or organizations to gauge public reaction before making formal announcements or decisions.

Yellow Journalism: Yellow journalism is a style of sensationalistic and often exaggerated reporting that prioritizes shocking headlines and emotional appeal over factual accuracy and balanced coverag

Conservative ideology: A political ideology that advocates for limited government intervention in economic and social issues, traditional values, individual responsibility, and a strong national defense.

Demography: The study of populations, including their size, structure, distribution, and characteristics such as age, gender, race, education, and income.

Divided government: A situation in which different political parties control different branches of government, such as the executive branch being controlled by one party while the legislative branch is controlled by another.

Electorate: The body of people who are eligible to vote in an election.

Exit Poll: A survey conducted with voters as they leave a polling place, asking them how they voted and providing early insights into election results.

Fiscal Policy: Government policies related to taxation and spending that aim to influence the economy's overall performance, employment levels, and inflation rates.

Free Enterprise: An economic system characterized by private ownership of businesses and the freedom for individuals and businesses to compete in the marketplace with limited government intervention.

Individualism: A philosophy that emphasizes the importance of individual rights, freedoms, and responsibilities, often associated with personal autonomy and self-reliance.

Keynesian Economics: An economic theory that suggests government intervention through fiscal policy, such as increased spending during economic downturns, to stimulate demand and stabilize the economy.

Liberal ideology: A political ideology that supports progressive social policies, government intervention in the economy to address inequalities, and individual rights and freedoms.

Libertarian Ideology: A political ideology that emphasizes individual liberty, limited government intervention in both social and economic matters, and a focus on personal responsibility and voluntary cooperation.

Minority majority: A demographic situation where minority groups together outnumber the dominant group in a population.

Moderate: A political stance or ideology that falls between conservative and liberal positions, often advocating for a balanced approach and compromise on various issues.

Monetary Policy: Government policies related to the supply of money and interest rates, often controlled by a central bank, aimed at influencing economic growth, inflation, and employment.

Party identification: The psychological attachment or allegiance of individuals to a political party, influencing their voting behavior and political preferences.

Polarization: The increasing ideological distance and division between political parties or groups, often leading to heightened partisanship and less compromise in policymaking.

Political culture: The shared beliefs, values, attitudes, and norms about politics and government within a society or community.

Political efficacy: The belief that individual citizens can influence government actions and policies, contributing to political engagement and participation.

Political ideology: A coherent set of beliefs and values that guide an individual or group's understanding of politics, policy preferences, and actions within the political system.

Political participation: The involvement of citizens in political activities, such as voting, attending rallies, contacting elected officials, or joining interest groups, to influence government decisions and outcomes.

Political Socialization: The process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs, values, and behaviors, often influenced by family, school, media, peers, and other social factors.

Public Opinion: The collective attitudes, beliefs, and preferences of the general population on various issues or topics, which can influence political decision-making.

Public Opinion Poll: A survey conducted to measure the opinions of a representative sample of the population on specific issues or candidates.

Radical: A person or ideology advocating for substantial and rapid political or social change, often challenging established norms or systems.

Random Sample: A sample of individuals selected from a larger population in such a way that each member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample, ensuring representativeness.

Reactionary: A person or ideology characterized by a desire to return to past social or political conditions, often opposing progressive or liberal reforms.

Sampling Error: The difference between the results of a sample survey and the true opinions or characteristics of the entire population, usually due to the inherent variability in samples.

Scientific Polling Sample: A sample for a poll that is carefully designed to be representative of the population being studied, often using random sampling methods to minimize bias.

Supply-Side Economics: An economic theory that emphasizes reducing barriers to production, such as taxes and regulations, to stimulate economic growth and create incentives for businesses and investors.

Swing Voter: A voter who is not firmly aligned with any political party and may change their vote between different parties or candidates in different elections.

Tracking Polls: Polls conducted repeatedly over time to monitor changes in public opinion or support for candidates or issues, providing insights into trends and shifts in attitudes.