Terms : Hide Images
| 12502107 | Incumbent | The person already holding a political office. | |
| 12502108 | Coattails | The alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better known candidate, such as the president. | |
| 12502109 | Political Action Committee (PAC) | A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations. | |
| 12502110 | Malapportionment | Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population. | |
| 12502111 | Gerrymandering | Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party. | |
| 12502112 | Sophomore surge | An increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection. | |
| 12502113 | Caucus | A meeting of people, often in an auditorium or church basement, where they vote on who they would like their party's nominee to be. | |
| 12502114 | Clothespin vote | The vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate so cotes for the less objectionable of the two, putting a clothespin over his or her nose to keep out the unpleasant stench. | |
| 12502115 | Position issue | An issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions. | |
| 12502116 | Valence issue | An issue about which the public is united and rical candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those widely shared beliefs. | |
| 12502117 | General election | AN election held to choose which candidate will hold office. | |
| 12502118 | Primary election | An election held to choose candidates for office. | |
| 12502119 | Closed primary | A primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members. | |
| 12502120 | Open primary | A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place. | |
| 12502121 | Blanket primary | A primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties. | |
| 12502122 | Runoff primary | A second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary. | |
| 12502123 | Independent expenditures | Spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help a party or candidate but is done independently of them. | |
| 12502124 | Soft money | Funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate. | |
| 12502125 | 527 Organizations | Organizations that, under section 527 of the INternal Revenue Code, raise and spend money to advance political causes. | |
| 12502126 | Prospective voting | Voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues. | |
| 12502127 | Retrospective voting | Voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office. |
