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Social Studies - Election Flashcards

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5437621183declareWhen a candidate states that he or she is planning to run for office.0
5437621184conventionsParty meetings when candidates are selected and the platform is created.1
5437621185delegatesSomeone who represents the party views of a state at a national convention.2
5437734195Caucus vs. PrimariesPresidential election primaries and caucuses are two very different methods of accomplishing the same basic thing. Primaries and caucuses are means of selecting delegates (representatives of party members in each state) to send to the party's national convention.3
5437624108Caucus systemMeetings where party leaders and supporters select candidates through discussions and consensus.4
5437624109Primary systemElections host a secret ballot and people vote for the candidate they want to represent the party in the national election.5
5437624129nomineeThe person who is chosen to run as a party's candidate in the national election.6
5437626869acceptance speechGiven by the people selected to run for President and Vice President at the end of a national convention.7
5437626870campaignA collection of all the efforts a candidate makes to win an election. The process of gathering public support for a candidate.8
5437626871popular voteA tally of all of the votes cast by individual voters in a presidential election9
5437629217electoral collegeA group of people, called Electors, selected by the states to elect the president and the vice-president, in which each state's number of electors is equal to the number of its senators and representatives in Congress.10
5437629218day in which the VP counts the electoral votesIn December, after the election, the Electors meet in their state capitols and cast their ballots. The President of the Senate (Vice President) collects the votes and counts them. January 6th - The Congress meets in joint session to count the electoral votes. Congress may pass a law to change this date. The Vice President, as President of the Senate, presides over the count and announces the results of the Electoral College vote.11
5437632284absolute majorityIn order to win, a candidate must have 270 out of a total of 538 electoral votes. This number is half of 538 plus one12
5437632285political partyAn organized group of people who share similar views and work to influence the government in support of those views. As a party leader, the President works to accomplish the party's goals for how the government should address the issues facing our nation.13
54376322863rd partyany political party other than the Republicans and democrats, they have influenced elections by sometimes serving as "spoilers" and costing a major party the election14
5437634002independentIt is a variable that stands alone and isn't changed by the other variables you are trying to measure.15
5437634003ballot accessEvery state has rules about ballot access - allowing a political party to put a candidate on the ballot. Usually the rules involve getting a certain number of signatures from registered voters. Republican and democratic candidates have ballot access in all states and are guaranteed to show up on the ballot; if you are not a member of one of these parties, you have to petition to get put on the ballot.16
5451478379platformA document that describes the party's views on all the major issues facing the nation. It is a set of beliefs the political party stands on.17
5451478380candidatea person running for political office18
5451478381majority partyRepublican19
5451479903minority partyDemocratic20
5451483933Which party is currently majority? Minority?Majority: Republicans Minority: Democrats21
5451483934endorsementsProcess where famous or influential groups or individuals give their support to someone who is seeking office.22
5451485941opinion pollsA method of questioning a small, selected sample of respondents who are deemed representative of the total population.23
5451485942issuesthoughts or idea or problems24
5451485943nonpartisanNot supporting or controlled by any political group, free from party ties (democrat or republican)25
5451490383swing stateA state that could go either way in a presidential elections (unlike "safe states"). Target of a lot of attention in elections. Also known as "battleground states" or "purple states"26

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