Term

Absentee Ballot

Absentee Voting

Agenda

Amendment

American Independence
Party

Amnesty

Anti-Federalist
Apathy

Appointment Power

Definition
An absentee ballot is a vote cast by someone who is unable
or unwilling to attend the official polling station or to which
the voter is normally allocated. Numerous methods have
been devised to facilitate this.
An electoral process that enables persons who cannot
appear at their designated polling places to vote from
another location. The usual method of absentee voting is by
mail, although provision is sometimes made for voting at
prescribed places in advance of the polling date. Absentee
voting requires special administrative arrangements to
ensure the secrecy and legitimacy of the ballots cast.
An agenda is a list of meeting activities in the order in which
they are to be taken up, by beginning with the call to order
and ending with adjournment. It usually includes one or
more specific items of business to be discussed. It may, but
is not required to, include specific times for one or more
activities. An agenda may also be called a docket or
schedule.
An amendment is a formal or official change made to a law,
contract, constitution, or other legal document. It is based
on the verb to amend, which means to change.
Amendments can add, remove, or update parts of these
agreements. They are often used when it is better to change
the document than to write a new one.
Far Right Political party of the United States, nominated
George Wallace for president in 1968, who gained 5 state
ballots, split into 2 parties, the American Party, and the
modern American Independence Party
includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all
legal remembrance of the offense. Amnesty is more and
more used to express "freedom" and the time when
prisoners can go free.
historical opponent of U.S. Constitution when it was being
ratified by the United States
lack of feeling, emotion, interest, or concern. Apathy is a
state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as
concern, excitement, motivation, and/or passion. An
apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern
about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical and/or
physical life and the world.
A power of appointment is a term most frequently used in
the law of wills to describe the ability of the testator (the

Appropriations
Assassination

Australian Ballot

Balanced Budget Act of

1997
Bellwether
Bill of Rights
Binding Referendum

Bipartisan

Bi Partisan Campaign
Reform Act
Blue State
Bull Moose Party
Bureaucracy

Bureaucrat

person writing the will) to select a person who will be given

the authority to dispose of certain property under the will.
Although any person can exercise this power at any time
during their life, its use is rare outside of a will.
the action of taking something for one's own use, typically
without the owner's permission
Assassination is the murder of a prominent person or
political figure by a surprise attack, usually for payment or
political reasons.
Known as Secret Ballot, The secret ballot is a voting method
in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are
anonymous, forestalling attempts to influence the voter by
intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of
achieving the goal of political privacy.
omnibus legislative package enacted using the budget
reconciliation process and designed to balance the federal
budget by 2002
one that leads or indicates trends
Ohio
First 10 amendments of the Constitution
a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to vote
on a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a
new constitution, a constitutional amendment, or a law.
Bipartisanship is a political situation, usually in the context
of a two-party system, in which opposing political parties
find common ground through compromise, in theory. This is
in contrast to partisanship, where an individual or political
party only adheres to their interests without compromise.
a United States federal law that amended the Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1971, which regulates the
financing of political campaigns.
a US state that predominantly votes for or supports the
Democratic Party.
Another Term for the progressive party
"a body of non-elective government officials" and/or "an
administrative policy-making group". Historically,
bureaucracy referred to government administration
managed by departments staffed with nonelected officials.
In modern parlance, bureaucracy refers to the
administrative system governing any large institution.
a member of a bureaucracy and can compose the
administration of any organization of any size, though the
term usually connotes someone within an institution of
government. Bureaucrat jobs were often "desk jobs ,

Cabinet
Candidate
Candidate-centered
politics
Campaign Finance
Reform
Capital Gains

Caucus

Chad

though the modern bureaucrat may be found "in the field" as

well as in an office.
a body of advisers to the president, composed of the heads
of the executive departments of the government
one that aspires to or is nominated or qualified for an office,
membership, or award
election campaigns and other political processes in which
candidates, not political parties, have most of the initiative
and influence
the political effort in the United States to change the
involvement of money in politics, primarily in political
campaigns.
a profit that results from a disposition of a capital asset,
such as stock, bond or real estate, where the amount
realized on the disposition exceeds the purchase price. The
gain is the difference between a higher selling price and a
lower purchase price. Conversely, a capital loss arises if the
proceeds from the sale of a capital asset are less than the
purchase price
a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political
party or movement. The term originated in the United
States, but has spread to Australia, Canada, New Zealand,
South Africa and Nepal. As the use of the term has been
expanded, the exact definition has come to vary among
political cultures.
Fragments sometimes created when holes are made in a paper,
card or similar synthetic materials, such as computer punched
tapeor punched cards. Used in 2000 in Florida Votes.

Checks and Balances

Chief Administrator

Chief Diplomat

Chief Executive
Chief Legislator

Chief of Staff

Limits imposed on all branches of a government by vesting

in each branch the right to amend or void those acts of
another that fall within its purview
A chief administrative officer (CAO) is responsible for
administrative management of private, public or
governmental corporations
a person appointed by a national government to conduct
official negotiations and maintain political, economic, and
social relations with another country or countries.
the highest-ranking member of an executive body
the President, who gives information to Congress to
consider through the State of the Union address and
recommendations for consideration of new statutes, and
who signs or vetoes legislation.
the senior staff officer of a service or command

Chief of State
Citizen
Clemency Power

Coattail effect

Commutation
Commander in Chief

Conservative

Constituency
Constitution

Constitutional democracy

Constitutional
Government

Constitutional Powers

Convention
Conventional
Participation
Convention Delegate
Corrupt Practices Act

the titular head of a nation as distinct from the head of the

government
a legally recognized subject or national of a state or
commonwealth, either native or naturalized
Pardon Power of President to "grant reprieves and pardons
for offenses against the United States, except in cases of
impeachment."
the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract
votes for other candidates of the same party in an election.
For example, in the United States, the party of a victorious
presidential candidate will often win many seats in Congress
as well; these congressmen are voted into office on the
coattails of the president.
action or the process of commuting a judicial sentence
the person or body that exercises supreme operational
command and control of a nation's military forces or
significant elements of those forces. In the latter case, the
force element is those forces within a particular region, or
associated by function.
a political and social philosophy promotes retaining
traditional social institutions in the context of the culture and
civilization
a body of voters in a specified area who elect a
representative to a legislative body
a body of fundamental principles or established precedents
according to which a state or other organization is
acknowledged to be governed
a system of government based on popular sovereignty in
which the structures, powers, and limits of government are
set forth in a constitution
A Government classified by the existence of a constitution,
which is a body of fundamental principles or established
precedents according to which a state or other organization
is acknowledged to be governed
Also known as Enumerated powers, a list of items found in
Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution that set forth the
authoritative capacity of Congress.[
an agreement between countries covering particular
matters, especially one less formal than a treaty
Voting for a bill in a convention
Member of a delegation who attends a convention for a
purpose
A United States law passed in 1977, which prohibits U.S.

firms and individuals from paying bribes to foreign officials in

furtherance of a business deal and against the foreign
official's duties.
Council of Economic
CEA' A panel of three noted economists who advise the
Advisors
president of the United States on macroeconomic matters.
The council consists of a chairman and two other members,
all of whom are appointed by the president and approved by
the Senate.
Credentials Committee
a committee (as at a national party convention) for
examining the credentials of delegates and deciding upon
contested claims to represent certain groups of the
membership.
Credit Mobilizer Scandal1.
The Crdit Mobilier scandal of 1872 involved the
(1872)
Union Pacific Railroad and the Crdit Mobilier of America
construction company in the building of the eastern portion
of the First Transcontinental Railroad.
Critical Election
Terms from political science and political history describing
a dramatic change in the political system. Scholars
frequently apply the term to American elections and
occasionally to other countries.
Dark Horse Candidate
An unexpected winner. In politics, a dark horse is
a candidate for office considered unlikely to receive his or
her party's nomination, but who might be nominated if party
leaders cannot agree on a better candidate.
Democracy
A system of government by the whole population or all the
eligible members of a state, typically through elected
representatives
Constitutional
Democracy
Direct Democracy
Representative
Democracy
Democratic party

Democratic Republican
Party
Demographics

A system of government based on popular sovereignty in

which the structures, powers, and limits of a government are
set forward in a constitution
A form of democracy in which people decide (e.g. vote on,
form consensus on) policy initiatives directly.
A variety of democracy founded on the principle of elected
officials representing a group of people, as opposed to
direct democracy.
One of the two major contemporary political parties in the
United States, along with the younger Republican Party.
Tracing its origins back to the Democratic-Republican Party,
the modern Democratic Party was founded around 1828.
The name used primarily by modern political scientists for
the first "Republican Party" (as it called itself at the time),
also known as the Jeffersonian Republicans.
Statistical data relating to the population and particular

Diplomacy
Diplomatic Powers
(President)

Disenfranchise
Divided Government

Elector
Electoral College

Elite
Emergency powers

Ethnocentrism

1.

Executive Agreement

1.

Executive order

1.

Executive privilege

1.

Exit Poll

Faction
Fair Deal

Favorite Son
Federal Election

groups within it
The profession, activity, or skill of managing international
relations, typically by a country's representatives abroad
The President has the power to make treaties with other
nations. Often these treaties are worked out through the
Secretary of State. These treaties must be approved by a
2/3 vote in the Senate
To deprive (someone) of a right or privilege.
A situation in which one party controls the White House and
another party controls one or both houses of the United
States Congress, thus leading to Congressional gridlock.
A person who has the right to vote in an election.
A body of people representing the states of the US, who
formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice
president.
a select part of a group that is superior to the rest in terms
of ability or qualities.
Power granted to or used or taken by a public authority to
meet the exigencies of a particular emergency (as of war or
disaster) whether within or outside a constitutional frame of
reference.
Evaluation of other cultures according to
preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of
one's own culture.
An international agreement, usually regarding routine
administrative matters not warranting a formal treaty, made
by the executive branch of the US government without
ratification by the Senate.
A rule or order issued by the president to an
executive branch of the government and having the force of
law.
The privilege, claimed by the president for the
executive branch of the US government, of withholding
information in the public interest.
A poll taken of a small percentage of voters as they leave
the polls, used to forecast the outcome of an election or
determine the voting reasons
A group within another group, party or government
An ambitious set of proposals put forward by U.S. President
Harry S. Truman to Congress in his January 1949 State of
the Union address
A famous man who is particularly popular and praised for
his achievements in his native area.
An independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975

Commission

by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign

finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a
provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election
Campaign Act.
Federalist
An advocate or supporter of federalism.
First Ballot
A device used to cast votes in an election, and may be a
piece of paper or a small ball used in secret voting. It was
originally a small ball (see blackballing) used to record
decisions made by voters.
First lady
The wife of the president of the US or other head of state.
Flip Flop
Make an abrupt reversal of policy.
Fourth Estate
The press; the profession of journalism.
Franchise
An authorization granted by a government or company to an
individual or group enabling them to carry out specified
commercial activities, e.g., providing a broadcasting service
or acting as an agent for a company's products.
Fundamentalists
1 - A conservative movement in theology among nineteenthand twentieth-century Christians. Fundamentalists believe
that the statements in the Bible are literally true.
2 - A movement or attitude stressing strict and literal
adherence to a set of basic principles
Gender Gap
1.
The discrepancy in opportunities, status, attitudes,
etc., between men and women.
General Election
A regular election of candidates for office, as opposed to a
primary election.
Gerrymandering
Manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so
as to favor one party or class.
GOP (Republican Party)
A political party that began in 1854 and is today one of the
two major political parties in the United States. Originally, it
was composed mainly of northerners from both major
parties of the time, the Democrats and the Whigs, with
some former Know-Nothings as well.
Green Party
Formally organized political party based on the principles
of green politics, such as social justice and nonviolence.
Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to
one another as a foundation for world peace.
Greenback Party (known An American political party with an anti-monopoly ideology
successively as the
which was active between 1874 and 1889.
Independent Party, the
National
Independent Party, and
the Greenback Labor Par
ty)
Gridlock
A situation when there is difficulty of passing laws in

Domestic Product

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Hard Money

Hitch Act (1939) An Act

to Prevent Pernicious
Political Activities

Honeymoon Effect
High Crimes and
Misdemeanors

Impeachment

Imperial presidency
Impoundment
Inauguration
Incumbent
Independent Agency
Independent Regulatory
Commission
Independent Voter

a legislature because the votes for and against a proposed

law are evenly divided, or in which two legislative houses, or
the executive branch and the legislature are controlled by
different political parties, or otherwise cannot agree.
The total value of goods produced and services
provided in a country during one year.
Individual
Company
Government
Foreign
A specific type of asset-based loan financing through which
a borrower receives funds secured by the value of a parcel
of real estate. Hard money loans are typically issued by
private investors or companies.
A United States federal law whose main provision
prohibits employees in the executive branch of the federal
government, except the president, vice-president, and
certain designated high-level officials of that branch, from
engaging in partisan political activity. The law was named
for Senator Carl Hatch of New Mexico.
A brief period of apparent agreement, as
between political parties after an election.
Covers allegations of misconduct peculiar to officials, such
as perjury of oath, abuse of authority, bribery, intimidation,
misuse of assets, failure to supervise, dereliction of duty,
conduct unbecoming, and refusal to obey a lawful order.
A formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful
activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country,
may include the removal of that official from office as well as
criminal or civil punishment.
A U.S. presidency that is characterized by greater power
than the Constitution allows.
The decision of a President of the United States not to
spend money appropriated by Congress
The beginning or introduction of a system, policy, or period.
Currently holding office
Agencies that exist outside of the federal executive
departments (those headed by a Cabinet secretary).
Considered part of the executive government, commissions
must be independent from political influence
A voter who does not align him or herself with a political
party. An independent is variously defined as a voter who
votes for candidates and issues rather than on the basis of
a political ideology or partisanship

Initiative

A means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum

number of registered voters can force a public vote
(plebiscite)
Interest Group
Any association of individuals or organizations, usually
formally organized, that, on the basis of one or more shared
concerns, attempts to influence public policy in its favour.
All interest groups share a desire to affect
government policy to benefit themselves or their causes.
Their goal could be a policy that exclusively benefits group
members or one segment of society (e.g., government
subsidies for farmers) or a policy that advances a broader
public purpose (e.g., improving air quality).
Iowa Caucas
An electoral event in which residents of the U.S. state
of Iowa meet in precinct caucuses in all of Iowa's 1,774
precincts and elect delegates to the corresponding county
conventions. Considered important because Iowa was the
first state to show support for canidates
Judicial Powers
Constitutional authority vested in courts and judges to hear
and decide justiciable cases, and to interpret,
and enforce or void, statutes when disputes arise over
their scope or constitutionality.
Kitchen Cabinet
1.
A group of unofficial advisers to the holder of an
elected office who are considered to be unduly influential.
Know nothing Party
U.S. political party that flourished in the 1850s. The Know(American Party)
Nothing party was an outgrowth of the strong anti-immigrant
and especially anti-Roman Catholic sentiment that started to
manifest itself during the 1840s.
Laissez-Faire Economics An economic theory from the 18th century that is strongly
(Let it be economics)
opposed to any government intervention in business affairs.
Lame Duck
Left Wing
Legislative Powers
Liberal

An official (especially the president) in the final period of

office, after the election of a successor.
The liberal, socialist, or radical section of a political party or
system.
Making and enacting laws
A broad political ideology that emphasizes liberty and
equality. While liberalism encompasses a diverse range of
views, common liberal ideas place value on constitutions,
democracy, free and fair elections, human rights, capitalism,
free trade, and the separation of church and state. In the
19th and 20th centuries, liberalism contributed to the
elimination of slavery, the replacement of monarchies with
constitutional governments, and the establishment of

international organizations such as the United Nations

Line Item Veto
1.
The power of a president, governor, or other elected
executive to reject individual provisions of a bill.
Litmus Test
A question asked of a potential candidate for high office, the
answer to which would determine whether the nominating
official would proceed with the appointment or nomination.
Lobby
To try to influence public officials on behalf of or against pro
posed legislation
Lobbying
To influence officials on a piece of legislation
Lobbyist
A person who lobbies on behalf of a bill or piece of
legislation
Mainstream News Media Media disseminated via the largest distribution channels,
which therefore represent what the majority of media
consumers are likely to encounter
Majority Rule
1.
The principle that the greater number should exercise
greater power.
Mandate
An official order or commission to do something
Margin of Error
An amount (usually small) that is allowed for in case of
miscalculation or change of circumstances.
Mass Media
Newspapers, motion pictures, radio, television, and
magazines, all of which have the technical capacity to
deliver information to millions of people.
Media Bias
The bias or perceived bias of journalists and news
producers within the mass media in the selection of events
and stories that are reported and how they are covered.
Media Consolidation
A process whereby progressively fewer individuals or
organizations control increasing shares of the mass media.
Merit System
The process of promoting and hiring government employees
based on their ability to perform a job, rather than on their
political connections.
Middle of the road
Avoiding extremes; moderate.
Mid-term Election
General elections in the United States that are held two
years after the quadrennial (four-year)elections for the
President of the United States
Minor Party
A political party that plays a smaller (in some cases much
smaller) role than a major party in a country's politics and
elections.
Moderate
An individual who is not extreme, partisan, nor radical.
Moral Majority
A political action group formed in the 1970s to further a
conservative and religious agenda, including the allowance
of prayer in schools and strict laws against abortion.
Mudslinging
The use of insults and accusations, especially unjust ones,
with the aim of damaging the reputation of an opponent.
Name Recognition
The number of people who are aware of a politician. It is

considered an important factor in elections, as candidates

with low name recognition are unlikely to receive votes from
people who only casually follow politics.
National Convention
1.
A convention of a major political party, especially one
that nominates a candidate for the presidency.
National Security Council The President's principal forum for considering national
security and foreign policy matters with his senior national
security advisors and cabinet officials.
Natural Rights
Rights that people supposedly have undernatural law. The
Declaration of Independence of the United States lists life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as natural rights.
New Deal
A group of government programs and policies established
under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s; theNew
Deal was designed to improve conditions for persons
suffering in the Great Depression.
New Hampshire Primary The first in a series of nationwide party primary
elections held in the United States every four years as part
of the process of choosing the delegates to
the Democratic andRepublican national conventions which
choose the party nominees for the presidential elections to
be held the subsequent November.
News Media
A 21st Century catchall term used to define all that is related
to the internet and the interplay between technology, images
and sound. In fact, the definition of new media changes
daily, and will continue to do so. New media evolves and
morphs continuously.
Non-Binding Referendum A question that is included on a ballot during a town-wide
vote. Voters are asked to answer the referendum, but the
results are nonbinding.
Non-Governmental
Any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which
organization
is organized on a local, national or international level.
Non-Partisan
Not biased or partisan, especially toward any particular
political group.
Non-Partisan Election
An election that does not permit party labels to appear on
the ballot. In a party primary, you must tell
your electionjudge which party's ballot you wish to take into
the voting booth. You will receive a ballot formatted so that
you may only select candidates from that party.
Oath
A solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness,
regarding one's future action or behavior.
Objective Reporting
Reporting of information that reviews many points of view
Off-Year election
General elections in the United States that are held in oddnumbered years. These elections rarely feature any
election to a federal office, few state legislative elections,

Office of Management
and Budget

Oversight

Partisan Politics

Party Activist

Party Chief
Party Participation

Patronage (Spoils
System)
Photo Ops
Platform

Plausible Deniability

Pluralism

and very few gubernatorial elections.

The largest office within the Executive Office of the
President of the United States (EOP). The Director of
the OMB is a member of the executive office of the
president.
Oversight by the United States Congress on the Executive
Branch, including the numerous U.S. federal agencies.
Congressional oversight refers to the review, monitoring,
and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities,
and policy implementation.
A committed member of a political party. In multi-party
systems, the term is used for politicians who strongly
support their party's policies and are reluctant to
compromise with their political opponents.
Someone who is aligned with a political, economic, or social
party and who promotes that party's principles through a
variety of means. Party activists can be passive, reflecting
their views in subtle ways that may go virtually unnoticed or
active, communicating their views outwardly through
speech, video, actions, etc.
A leader in a political party who controls votes and dictates
appointments;
The Mediation Process is the crux of the process.
When parties agree to a mediation process, they then have
the power vested in them to arrive at a mutually acceptable
solution to the dispute. The mediator has power over the
process, but not the outcome.
Appointing persons to government positions based on the
basis of political support and work rather than merit, as
measured by objective criteria
An arranged opportunity to take a photograph of
a politician, a celebrity, or a notable event.
A list of the values and actions which are supported by
a political party or individual candidate, in order to appeal
to the general public, for the ultimate purpose of garnering
the general public's support and votes about complicated
topics or issues.
A term coined by the CIA in the early 1960s to describe the
withholding of information from senior officials in order to
protect them from repercussions in the event that illegal or
unpopular activities by the CIA became public knowledge.
The recognition and affirmation of diversity within a political
body, which permits the peaceful coexistence of different

interests, convictions and lifestyles. Political pluralists are

not inherently liberals (who place liberty and/or equality as
their guiding principles) or conservatives (who place order
and/or tradition as their guiding principles) but advocate a
form of political moderation.
Pocket Veto
1.
An indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or
a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for
it to be dealt with during the legislative session.
Political Action
An organization that raises money privately to influence
Committee
elections or legislation, especially at the federal level.
Political Bias
One-sided, lacking a neutral viewpoint, not having an open
mind
Political Capital
The trust, goodwill, and influence a politician has with the
public and other political figures. This goodwill is a type of
invisible currency that politicians can use to mobilize the
voting public or spend on policy reform.
Political Culture
The product of both the collective history of apolitical system
and the life histories of the members of the system and thus
it is rooted equally in public events and private experience".
Political Party
An organization of people which seeks to achieve goals
common to its members through the acquisition and
exercise of political power.
New Deal Coalition
The alignment of interest groups and voting blocs that
supported the New Deal and voted for Democratic
presidential candidates from 1932 until the late 1960s.
Labor Unions
Minorities
Southerners
City Machines
Intellectuals
Catholics and Jews
Pendleton Act
A federal law established in 1883 that stipulated that
government jobs should be awarded on the basis of merit.
Political Spectrum
A concept for representing different political stances in
relation to one another. At its most basic, the political
spectrum consists of a line or continuum from left to right,
with varying shades of opinion in between.
Politics
The activities associated with the governance of a country
or other area, especially the debate or conflict among
individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.
Political Predisposition
Political Opinion before outside campaigning affects
opinions
Political Socialization
A lifelong process by which people form their ideas

Poll Tax

1.

Polling

Pollster
Popular Consent

1.

Popular Sovereignty

Pork
Pork Barrel projects

Potus
Constitutional powers

1.

Delegated Powers

Inherent Powers
President of the Senate
President Pro Tempore of
the Senate

Presidential Coattails

Presidential Pardon

about politics and acquire political values. The family,

educational system, peer groups, and the mass media all
play a role.
A tax levied on every adult, without reference to
income or resources.
A sampling or collection of opinions on a subject, taken from
either a selected or a random group of persons, as for the
purpose of analysis
A person who conducts or analyzes opinion polls.
Concept in which people should be able to participate
directly in the governing of their own societies.
The principle that the authority of the government is created
and sustained by the consent of its people, through their
elected representatives (Rule by the People), who are the
source of all political power.
Government money spent in a particular area in order to get
political advantages - used to show disapproval
The appropriation of government spending for localized
projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a
representative's district.
President of the United States
Powers of the United States Congress are set forth
by the United States Constitution, defined by rulings of the
Supreme Court, and by its own efforts and by other factors
such as history and custom. It is the chief legislative body of
the United States.
To delegate means to specifically assign, in this
case delegated powers are those powers specifically
assigned to the Federal Government.
Powers held by a sovereign state.
Presiding officer over the Senate
The most senior senator in the majority party has generally
been chosen to be president pro tempore; this tradition has
been observed without interruption since 1949. During the
Vice President's absence, the president pro tempore is
empowered to preside over Senate sessions.
The ability of a Presidential candidate to bring out
supporters who then vote for his party's candidates for other
offices.
The pardon power for federal crimes is granted to
the President of the United States under Article II, Section 2
of the United States Constitution which states that
the President "shall have power to grant reprieves
and pardons for offenses against the United States

Presidential Succession

Presidential Ticket

Press Secretary

Press Conference

1.

Primary Election

Closed Primary

Direct Primary
Open Primary

1.

Proportional
Representation
Public Opinion
Legal Qualifications

1.
1.

Unofficial Qualifications
Quid Pro Quo
Recess Appointment
Red State
Referendum

1.

Order which defines who may become or act

as President of the United States upon the incapacity,
death, resignation, or removal from office (by impeachment
and subsequent conviction) of a sitting president or
a president-elect.
When a President and Vice President candidates run, they
run on a ticket, because they are elected together rather
than independently
A senior White House official whose primary responsibility is
to act as spokesperson for the United States government
administration, especially with regard to the President,
senior executives, and policies.
An interview given to journalists by a prominent
person in order to make an announcement or answer
questions.
A preliminary election to appoint delegates to a party
conference or to select the candidates for a principal,
especially presidential, election.
A type of direct primary limited to registered party members,
who must declare their party affiliation in order to vote.
The closed primary serves to encourage party unity and
prevent members of other parties from infiltrating and voting
to nominate weak candidates.
An election in which voters choose candidates to run on a
party's ticket in a subsequent election for public office.
A primary election in which voters are not required to
declare party affiliation.
An electoral system in which parties gain seats in
proportion to the number of votes cast for them.
Views prevalent among the general public.
A particular attribute or quality that an individual must have
in order to be eligible to fill an office or perform a public duty
or function
Qualifications that are not in accord with prescribed
regulations or forms
A favor or advantage granted or expected in return for
something.
The appointment, by the President of the United States, of a
senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess.
A US state that predominantly votes for or supports
the Republican Party.
A general vote by the electorate on a single political
question that has been referred to them for a direct
decision.

Rendezvous with Destiny

Republic

To have a specific task to do

A state in which supreme power is held by the people and
their elected representatives, and which has an elected or
nominated president rather than a monarch.
Rally Round the Flag
A concept used in political science and international
Effect
relations to explain increased short-run popular support of
the President of the United States during periods of
international crisis or war.
Right Wing
The conservative or reactionary section of a political party or
system.
RINO
A pejorative term used by conservative members of the
Republican Party of the United States to describe
Republicans whose political views or actions they consider
insufficiently conservative.
Safe Seat
1.
A legislative seat that is likely to be retained with a
large majority in an election.
Silent Majority
An unspecified large majority of people in a country or group
who do not express their opinions publicly. Used by Richard
Nixon in his belief that the great body of Americans
supported his policies and that those who demonstrated
against the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam
War amounted to only a noisy minority.
Single Issue Voter
A political party that campaigns on only one issue. Such a
party is rarely successful in gaining elected office. It is
generally believed that single-issue parties are favoured by
voluntary voting systems, as they tend to attract very
committed supporters who will always vote.
Single Member District
An area is divided into a number of
geographically defined voting districts, each represented by
a single elected official.
Smear Campaign
A plan to discredit a public figure by making false or
dubious accusations.
Soft Money
1.
A contribution to a political party that is not accounted
as going to a particular candidate, thus avoiding various
legal limitations.
Socio-economic Status
An economic and sociological combined total measure of a
person's work experience and of an individual's or family's
economic and social position in relation to others, based on
income, education, and occupation.
Sound Bite
A very short part of a speech or statement, especially one
made by a politician, that is broadcast on a radio or
television news program
Special Interest
1.
A group of people or an organization seeking or
receiving special advantages, typically through political

Split Ticket

Spoils System

1.

Square Deal
State of the Union
Address

1.

Stewardship Theorfy

Straight Ticket
Suffrage
Super Tuesday

1.

Supply Side Economics

Swing State

Taft-Hartley Act
Talking points
Teapot Dome Scandal

Third Rail
Voter Turnout

Treaty
Trusteeship Theory

1.

2.
1.
2.

lobbying.
A vote for candidates of different political parties on the
same ballot, instead of for candidates of only one party. In
the presidential elections, for example, a voter may choose
a Republican candidate for president, but a Democratic
candidate for senator.
The practice of a successful political party giving
public office to its supporters.
A fair bargain or treatment.
A yearly address delivered in January by the
president of the US to Congress, giving the administration's
view of the state of the nation and plans for legislation.
A theory that managers, left on their own, will indeed act as
responsible stewards of the assets they control. This
theory is an alternative view of agency theory, in which
managers are assumed to act in their own self interests at
the expense of shareholders.
A ballot on which all votes have been cast for candidates of
the same party
The right to vote in political elections
A day on which several US states hold primary
elections.
Theory that holds that, by lowering taxes on corporations,
government can stimulate investment in industry and
thereby raise production, which will, in turn, bring down
prices and control inflation.
A US state where the two major political parties have
similar levels of support among voters, viewed as important
in determining the overall result of a presidential election.
Florida and Ohio
Weakens Labor Unions
A topic that invites discussion or argument.
A government scandal involving a former United States
Navy oil reserve in Wyoming that was secretly leased to a
private oil company in 1921; became symbolic of the
scandals of the Harding administration
Any issue so controversial that it is "charged" and
"untouchable"
The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an
election. (Who is eligible varies by country, and should not
be confused with the total adult population.
A formally concluded and ratified agreement between
countries.

Veto
Veto Message

Veto Override

Veep
Voter Turnout

1.

Voting Behavior

Voting Booth

1.

Voting Machine
War Powers Act

1.

Watergate

Wet Wing
Whig Party

Whistle Blower
Winner Take All
Writ of Certiorari
Writ of mandamus

1.

A constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made

by a law-making body
The power of a president or governor to reject a bill
proposed by a legislature by refusing to sign it into law. The
president or governor actually writes the word veto (Latin for
I forbid) on the bill and sends it back to the legislature with
a statement of his or her objections.
Power of congress in which two-thirds vote in both the
House and Senate may override a Presidential veto of
legislation.
A vice president.
The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an
election. (Who is eligible varies by country, and should not
be confused with the total adult population
Understanding voters' behavior can explain how and why
decisions were made either by public decision-makers,
which has been a central concern for political scientists, or
by the electorate.
A compartment with one open side in which one voter
at a time stands to mark their ballot.
A machine for the automatic registering of votes.
A US law passed in 1973 which allows Congress to limit the
President's use of military forces. It states that the President
must tell Congress within 48 hours if he sends armed forces
anywhere, and Congress must give approval for them to
stay there for more than 90 days.
A major political scandal that occurred in the United States
in the 1970s as a result of the June 17, 1972, break-in at the
Democratic National Committee headquarters at
the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the
Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its
involvement.
Against Prohibition
An American political party formed in the 1830s to oppose
President Andrew Jackson and the Democrats. Whigs stood
for protective tariffs, national banking, and federal aid for
internal improvements.
A person who informs on a person or organization
engaged in an illicit activity.
Process in which the candidate who wins the most votes
wins all the delegates at stake
A decision by the Supreme Court to hear an appeal from a
lower court
An order from a court to an inferior government official

Yellow Dog Democrat

Yellow Journalism

ordering the government official to properly fulfill their official

duties or correct an abuse of discretion.
A political term applied to voters in the Southern United
States who voted solely for candidates who represented
the Democratic Party
Journalism that is based upon sensationalism and crude
exaggeration.