| A | B |
|---|
| precinct | the smallest unit of election administration |
| political party | a group of people joined together on the basis of common principles, who seek to control government and public policy |
| pluralistic society | consisting of several distinct cultures and groups |
| major parties | the dominant political parties in the United States |
| split-ticket voting | casting ballots for candidates from different parties for different offices in the same election |
| ward | a unit into which cities are divided for the election of city council members |
| splinter parties | parties that have broken off from one of the major parties |
| plurality | the greatest number of votes cast for a single office |
| electorate | the people eligible to vote in any given election |
| political party | a group that seeks to control government by winning elections and holding public office |
| bipartisan | the two major parties acting together and cooperating when making decisions |
| minor party | a party that has less support than one of the major political parties in the United States |
| one party system | In dictatorships, this could more realistically be called a "no-party" system. |
| coalition | a union of many people of diverse interests who have joined together. |
| ideological parties | based on a particular set of beliefs—a comprehensive view of social, economic, and political matters. |
| economic protest parties | rooted in periods of economic discontent. |
| consensus | a general agreement among various groups—on fundamental matters. |
