Elections
These elections are held to choose which candidates will fill public office positions, such as president or senator. All U.S. citizens who are registered to vote and 18 or older may participate.
What are general elections?
These groups work to elect candidates, shape government policies, and organize voters around (many) shared ideas.
What are political parties?
These individuals who work with special interest groups are responsible for pressuring lawmakers to support or oppose certain policies.
Who are lobbyists?
This age demographic is the most likely to vote.
What are seniors/older generations?
This is the only U.S. president who served more than two four-year terms in office.
Who is Franklin D. Roosevelt? ("FDR")
Nationwide elections are held in the U.S. once every (?) years.
What is two? (2020: presidential, 2022: midterm, 2024: presidential, 2026: midterm, etc.)
A pro-life voter living in a rural area of a southern state would most likely support this political party.
What is the Republican Party?
This type of organization can raise money to support or oppose candidates, but it is limited in the amount of money it can donate to a campaign.
What is a political action committee (PAC)?
(NOT a Super PAC!)
What is a watchdog?
Maryland is expected to begin distributing these to voters around September 23. Make sure to get it in by 8 p.m. on Election Day!
What are absentee ("mail-in") ballots?
These elections are held halfway through a president's term. Though the president is not on the ballot, citizens can vote for other positions like U.S. senator or the governor of their state.
What are midterm elections?
(Next: 2026)
Political parties publish these documents once every four years at their national convention. It states the official party position on many of the issues that are important to voters.
What is a (party) platform?
With over 37 million members, this is one of the most well-known interest groups in the U.S. Their stated mission is "empowering people to choose how they live as they age".
What is the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)?
What is register (to vote)?
Maryland uses these types of primary elections, in which voters must be registered with the political party whose primary they wish to participate in.
What are closed primaries?
This term refers to the percentage of registered voters who actually voted in an election. (Ex. 2020 - 66%)
What is (voter) turnout?
This political party's voters would likely support higher taxation on the wealthy, environmental protection regulations, and increased funding for social welfare programs.
What is the Democratic Party?
What is a Super PAC?
(NOT "a PAC"!)
In order to narrow down a field of interested candidates for a particular office to one nominee, political parties hold these types of elections (typically in the spring/summer of an election year).
What are primary elections?
Maryland receives this many votes in the Electoral College.
What is 10? (Out of 538)
If Donald Trump wins the presidency in November, this political party will likely lose seats in Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.
What is the Republican Party? (President's party usually takes a hit in midterm elections)
This political party currently has a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, though they do not control the U.S. Senate.
What is the Republican Party?
This term refers to the movement of individuals between roles in government and jobs in the private sector, often as lobbyists, raising concerns about conflicts of interest.
What is the "revolving door"?
Who is George Santos?
This city, currently the capital of Maryland, served as the capital of the United States from 1783-1784.