American Government Ch.7 Vocab From Prentice Hall

Front 1

Nomination

Back 1

the naming of those who will seek office.

Front 2

general elections

Back 2

regularly scheduled elections at which voters make the final selection of officeholders.

Front 3

caucus

Back 3

a group of like-minded people who meet to select the candidates they will support in an upcoming election.

Front 4

direct primary

Back 4

An election held within a party to pick that party's candidates for the general elections.

Front 5

closed primary

Back 5

a party's nominating election in which only declared party members can vote.

Front 6

open primary

Back 6

a party's nominating election in which any qualified voter can cast a ballet.

Front 7

blanket primary

Back 7

a voting process in which voters recieve a long ballot containing the names of all contenders, regardless of party, and can vote however they choose.

Front 8

runoff primary

Back 8

A primary in which the top two vote-getters in the first direct primary face one another.

Front 9

nonpartisan elections

Back 9

elections in which candidates are not identified by party labels.

Front 10

absentee voting

Back 10

provisions made for those unable to get to their regular polling places on election day.

Front 11

coattail effect

Back 11

the effect of a strong candidate running for an office at the top of a ballot helping to attract voters to other candidates on their party's ticket.

Front 12

precinct

Back 12

the smallest unit of election administrarion; a voting district.

Front 13

polling

Back 13

the place where the voters who live in a precinct actually vote.

Front 14

ballot

Back 14

a device by which a voter registers a choice in an election.

Front 15

political action committees (PAC's)

Back 15

the political extension of special interest groups which have a major stake in public policy.