Complicated words, simple meanings
What is a caucus? 12 electoral terms explained!
Image: Sora Shimazaki
Whether legislative or presidential, every two years, Americans go through an election. During this time, they are flooded with political terms that TV commentators throw around without much explanation of what they mean. The following are 12 such terms. Did you know any of them?
1
Approval voting
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The approval voting system is an electoral mechanism in which each voter may select any number of candidates, and the winner is the candidate approved by the largest number of voters .
This differs from plurality voting, in which a voter may choose only one option from several, and the option with the most votes wins.
2
Ballot fatigue
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If you have ever looked at a ballot and felt overwhelmed by the long list of races and issues further down, you have experienced ballot fatigue . This occurs when voters choose not to vote on lower-ballot races or issues.
3
Blanket primary
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A blanket primary is an election in which voters can select candidates from any party , regardless of their own or the candidates' political affiliation. This contrasts with a closed primary, where only registered party members can vote
4
Canvass
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This term has two possible meanings. On the one hand, canvassing refers to the process of aggregating and verifying all valid ballots cast , which includes absentee, early voting, Election Day, provisional, challenged, military, and overseas citizens.
The second definition of this word, in the context of elections, canvassing also refers to the act of soliciting votes .
5
Caucus
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A caucus can refer to a closed meeting of members of the same political party or faction, typically held to select candidates or decide on policy. It can also mean a group of people united to promote a shared cause . Similar, perhaps, but not the same.
6
Electoral college
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An electoral college is a body of people known as presidential electors , formed every four years to represent U.S. states, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president .
7
Mixed ticket
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A concept somewhat similar to the previously mentioned blanket primary, a mixed ticket is a ballot where voters may select candidates of their choice regardless of party affiliation up to the maximum allowed for each race.
8
Dark money
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In the context of elections, dark money refers to funds that are donated to a political candidate during an election campaign from organizations that are not required to disclose their donor’s identities . As expected, this money is often used to influence elections.
9
Gerrymandering
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This unusual word describes the process of manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor one party or candidate over another. Wayne Dawkins, a professor at Morgan State University, explains it as "politicians picking their voters instead of voters picking their politicians."
10
Super PAC
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A Super PAC (Political Action Committee) does not contribute to candidates or parties but makes independent expenditures in federal races , such as running ads, sending mail, or communicating other messages that specifically advocate for the election or defeat of a particular candidate.
11
Air gap
Image: Andrew Neel
Put in simple terms, an air gap is a physical separation between systems that requires data to be transferred manually, using methods like a disc, flash drive, or other portable media.
Election systems use air gaps intentionally to prevent or control access . The election system cannot be connected to the internet at any time.
12
Undervote
Image: Glen Carrie
As the name suggests, an undervote occurs when a voter selects fewer choices than allowed in a contest . Similarly, an overvote happens when a voter selects more choices than permitted.
