Electoral College Vocabulary

Minority

- less than 1/2 of the votes cast

Conservative

Someone that favors keeping established traditions and opposes major changes in national institutions

Electoral vote -

Votes cast by each state's electors

Popular vote

Votes cast by the general public [your moms & dads]

third party

a party that challenges the 2 major parties

Candidate

a person who seeks, or is proposed for, some office.

Political process:

a process that includes political parties, elections, and policy making.

Platform:

a series of statements expressing the party's principles, beliefs, and position on election issues.

Electors

a set of people chosen by political parties/state legislatures to vote in presidential elections for the major candidates

two party system

a system of government in which 2 parties compete for power.

Independent candidate

a type of candidate from a third party. The party is formed around a well known person who can't get support from one of the major parties (Ross Perot, Teddy Roosevelt, )

Electorate

all the people who are eligible to vote

Plank

an individual issue in a candidate's or party's platform

Majority

more than 1/2 of the votes cast

Plurality

not a clear majority vote, but more than the other candidates

Republican party

one of 2 major parties in the U.S. founded in 1854 by the opponents of slavery.

Democratic party

one of the 2 major parties in the U.S. - founded in 1828 by Democratic-Republicans.one of the 2 major parties in the U.S. - founded in 1828 by Democratic-Republicans.

Office holder

people who have been elected to a political position in government

Slate of electors

same as electors; when voting for president, this is who are actually being chosen (indirect method of electing the pres. & v.p.)

Liberal

someone who favors progress and reforms - a person who is not narrow in one's views and ideas

Winner-take-all System

system where a candidate who wins the majority of the popular votes in a state wins all of the electoral vote from that state.

Electoral College

the group of electors from each state that indirectly elect the president & vice president

Nominate

to name a candidate for office or a position