Election Basics
The total number or percentage of votes cast by the public in a general election
What is the Popular Vote?
A media message designed to influence opinions about a candidate or issue.
What is a Political Advertisement?
The term for all activities involved in preparing and executing an election, from voter registration to counting ballots.
What is the Electoral Process?
A set of principles and goals that a political party or candidate stands for.
What is a Political Platform?
This state is often considered the ultimate swing state, pivotal in U.S. presidential elections.
What is Florida?
This type of election determines a party’s candidate for the general election
What is a Primary Election?
The percentage of eligible voters who actually cast a ballot in an election.
What is Voter Turnout?
A state where both political parties have similar levels of support, making it a key target in elections.
What is a Swing State?
This is the term for individuals who are undecided and could be persuaded to vote for either candidate.
What are Swing Voters?
The demographic group whose turnout surged in the 2008 presidential election
Who are Young Voters?
This is the group established by the Constitution to formally elect the president and vice president
What is the Electoral College?
The overall plan a candidate uses to win an election, including messaging and targeting.
What is a Campaign Strategy?
A state where the outcome of the election is uncertain and both candidates heavily focus their campaigns.
What is a Battleground State?
A situation where no candidate wins a majority, leading to further decision-making or elections.
What is a Runoff Election?
This trend refers to increasing voter engagement in early voting methods, such as mail-in ballots.
What is Early Voting?
An election where voters choose between candidates from different political parties for office
What is a General Election?
The overall plan a candidate uses to win an election, including messaging and targeting
What is a Campaign Strategy?
A method that allows voters to mail in their votes if they cannot be present on Election Day.
What is an Absentee Ballot?
The set of processes and rules that govern how elections are conducted in a democracy.
What is Electoral Law?
This Midwestern state is a key battleground due to its mix of rural and urban voters.
What is Ohio?
The term for the current officeholder running for reelection
What is incumbent?
This independent political action committee can raise unlimited funds to support candidates but cannot coordinate directly with them.
What is a Super PAC?
This occurs when district boundaries are manipulated to favor a political party or group.
What is Gerrymandering?
The document that officially declares a candidate’s position on key issues during a campaign.
What is a Political Manifesto?
The phenomenon where voter turnout significantly decreases in non-presidential election years.
What is the Midterm Effect?