political party
an association of voters with broad common interests who want to influence or control decision making in government by electing the party's candidates to public office
two party system
a system of government in which two parties compete for power
third party
a party that challenges the two major parties
plank
each individualist part of a political party's platform
national committee
representatives from the 50 state party organizations who run a political party
caucus
a meeting of political party members to conduct party business
precinct
geographic area that contains a specific number of voters
delegates
representative to a meeting
political machine
strong party organization that can control political appointments and deliver votes
direct primary
an election in which voters choose candidates to represent each party in a general election
closed primary
an election in which only the declared members of a party are allowed to vote for a party's nominee
open primary
an election in which voters need not declare their party preference
run off primary
second primary election between the two candidates who receive the most votes in the first primary election
nomination
process by which political parties ties or bias
plurality
most voters among all those running for a political office
non-partisan
free from party ties or bias
ballot
list of candidates o which you cast vote
absentee ballot
one that allows a person to vote without going to the polls of election day
returns
ballots and results of an election
exit poll
survey taken at polling places of how people voted
electorate
all the people who are eligible to vote
apathy
lack of interest
initiative
procedure by which citizens can propose new laws to create state constitutional amendments
electoral college
group of people named by each state legislature to select president and vice president
electors
person appointed to vote in presidential elections for the major candidates
winner take all system
system in which the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state usually receives all the states's electoral votes
propaganda
certain ideas that may involve misleading mesages, designed to manipulate people
political action committee
political organization established by a corporation, labor union, or other contributing money
incumbent
politician who has already been elected into office
public opinion
ideas and attitudes that most people hold about elected officials, candidates, governments and political issues
interest groups
group of people who share a point of view about an issue and unite to promote their beliefs
lobbyists
representative of an interest group who contacts law makers or other government officials directly to influence their policy making
public policy
course of action government takes in response to an issue or problem