| A | B |
|---|
| Caucus | Private meeting of party leaders to pick candidates |
| Nominating Convention | Official public meeting of a party to pick candidates |
| Bosses | Powerful party leaders who choose delegates and control conventions |
| Direct Primary | Election in which party members select people to run in the general election |
| Open Primary | All voters may participate in one parties election |
| Closed Primary | Only party members can participate in an election |
| Run-off Primary | Special primary held between the top two candidates if no one receives a majority |
| Open election | Primary election in which one candidate is chosen to run unopposed in the general election if he receives over 50% of the votes |
| Beauty Contest | Primary where voters give their preference but party leaders choose candidates |
| Presidential Primary | Party election of delegates to the national convention to select candidates |
| Plurality | The most votes of any one candidate |
| Majority | Over 1/2 (50%) of the total votes |
| Petition | Legal document announcing a person's candidacy |
| Ticket | Candidates for President and Vice President from one political party |
| Winner take all | The person with the most popular vote gets the electoral votes |
| Proportional representation | Each candidate gets their electoral votes based on their per cent of the popular vote |
| Platform | Statement of principles, beliefs, and positions of a party and candidate |
| Planks | Individual parts (issues) of a platform |
| Nomination | Choice made by the political party |
| Adjournment | Ending of the convention |
| King Caucus | Andrew Jackson's term for selection process of candidates |
| Anti-Masons | Third party who became the first to hold a national convention |
| Convention delegates | People chosen to represent their state at the nominating convention |
| Rules Committee | Governs the way the convention is run |
| Credentials Committee | Approves the delegations from each state |
| Committee on Permanent Organization | Selects the chairperson and other party officials |
| Platform Committee | Writes the party's principles, beliefs, and positions on vital issues |
| Walter Mondale | Democratic candidate in 1984 |
| Geraldine Ferraro | First woman candidate selected to run for Vice-President |
| John F. Kennedy | First Catholic President elected in 1960 |
| Lyndon B. Johnson | Protestant chosen by JFK to be Vice-President in 1960 |
| Jimmy Carter | Democratic candidate who became President in 1976 election |
| Ted Kennedy | Challenged the rule about delegates voting for selected candidate on first ballot |
| Blanket Primary | Voters can vote for each office and switch between parties |
