| A | B |
|---|
| electorate | The total number of citizen who are eligible to vote in an election |
| one-party system | System in which one political party dominates the political system |
| two-party system | A system in which two political parties dominate the political system |
| mulitparty system | A system in which several major and minor political parties compete for political power |
| independent | A canididate with no political party affiliation |
| third party | A political party outside the dominate parties in a two-party system |
| splinter party | A political party that is created when a group that is unhappy with the candidates |
| ideological party | A political party that forms around a political idea that is different from the majority of the population |
| party machine | An organized group of individuals who dominate a political party within a geographic area who use the party's power to fight off challenges |
| patronage | The practice of elected officials rewarding political supporters with jobs and other benefits |
| straight ticket | When a voter only selects candidates from the same political party for every office on the ballot |
| split ticket | When a voter selects candidates from different political parties for different political offices |
| primary election | An election to choose a political party's candidates for an elective office |
| general election | An election where the voters cast their votes for local, state, and federal candidates. |
| precinct | The smallest political subdivision of a US city, town, or county for voting purposes and for political party organization |
| ward | A territorial division of city government that is also often used as a voting subdivision and a unit of political party organization |
| direct primary | A preliminary election in which the winner becomes the party's candidate for an election |
| closed primary | A preliminary election in which only registered members of a political party are permitted to vote |
| open primary | A preliminary election in which a citizen may vote regardless of his or her political affiliation |
| runoff primary | A second preliminary election held in some states if no candidates receives a majority of the votes |
| nonpartisan primary | A preliminary election in which candidates from all political parties are on the same ballot and in which all votes can participate, regardless of their political affiliation |
| single-member district | An electoral district in which only one candidate can win election to a particular office |
| secret ballot | A voting system that allows voters to choose candidates in private |
| absentee ballot | A ballot that allows voters who are out of the country or away from their home state on election state |
| suffrage | The right to vote |
| electoral college | A body of representatives from the 50 states and the District of Columbia who offically elect the presdient and the vice president |
| caucus | An organized group of individuals |
| convention | the official method of nominating the president |
| party platform | A statement of political party's position on issues |
| popular vote | The total votes cast by the general public in an election |
