1.
5 steps of the nomination process: self announcement, caucus, convention, direct primary, petition
2.
absentee ballot: a way to cast your vote without going to the polling place, any qualified voter can cast an absentee ballot, apply for a absentee ballot weeks before election
3.
australian ballot: first used in Victoria in 1856, basic form of ballot we use today, list the names of candidates in elections, given out only at the polls, marked in secret
4.
automated voting: Thomas Edison patented the first voting machine, first mechanical device for the casting and counting of votes
5.
ballot: the device by which a voter registers a choice in an election
6.
caucus: a group of like-minded people who meet to select candidates they will support in the upcoming election, used in early times for state offices, still used in New England to make local nominations
7.
closed primary: 27 states use this, only declare party members can vote, party membership is registration, names are checked against the poll books and each is handed the primary ballot of the party
8.
coattail effect: occurs when a strong candidate running for an office at the top of the ballot helps attract voters to other candidates on the party's ticket, the lesser known office seeker "rides the coattail" of the more prestigious personality
9.
cons for closed primary: compromises the secrecy of the ballot because it forces voters to make their party preference in public, excludes independent voters from nomination process
10.
cons for on-line voting: the infrastructure is not ready for e-voting, not everyone can afford computers, undermine the basic principles of equality, digital disaster, jammed phone lines, blocked access, hackers, viruses, fraudulent vote counts, etc
11.
cons for open primary: permits party raiding, undercuts the concepts of party loyalty and responsibility
12.
cons for vote-by-mail: process threatens the principle of secret ballots, possibilities to mark ballots at home or any other place than the booth
13.
convention: first convention to nominate a presidential candidate was held by minor party, over the years it has turned from caucus to convention to today direct primary
14.
direct primary: most states require that major parties use this to choose their candidates for senate, house, governor, and others. Closely regulated by law and most states usually set dates. They provide polling places, elections officials, registration lists, and ballots
15.
direct primary: intra-party election held within a party to pick that party's candidates for the general election
16.
early voting: two week period before the general election
17.
electronic vote counting: involved punch-card ballots, changed to paper ballot which were counted by optical screeners and touch-screen
18.
formula for elections: first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even numbered years, Congressional every 2 years, Presidential every 4 years
19.
Help America Vote Act of 2002: required states to replace all level-operated and punch card devices by 2006, upgrade the administration of elections, computerize voter registration systems, and allow provisional voting
20.
nomination: the naming of those who will seek office, very important in election
21.
office-group ballot: candidates for a certain office are grouped together in a block under the title, most states use this type
22.
open primary: 23 states use this, any qualified voter can cast ballot
23.
open private primary: voters are given 2 ballots and they can choose which party they want to vote for
24.
open public primary: they must ask for which party they want at the polling place
ex. Tennessee
25.
party-column ballot: list every party candidate in a column under the party's name, politicians favor this because it encourages straight-ticket voting
26.
petition: used widely at the local level, candidates are nominated by means of petitions signed by a certain number of qualified voters in election district, required by state law
27.
polling place: a place where the voters who live in the precinct actually vote, precinct election board supervises the place and voting process and make sure ballots are available and only qualified voters cast ballots
28.
presidential primary: an election held as one part of the process by which presidential candidates are chosen, where voter's elect some or all of a state party organization delegates to that party's national convention or voters can choose among various contenders for a party's presidential nomination
29.
pro to vote-by-mail: process usually increases voter turnout in elections and reduces cost on conduction
30.
pros for closed primary: prevents one party from "raiding" the other's primary in hope of nominating weaker candidates, makes candidates more responsive, helps make voters more thoughtful
31.
pros for on-line voting: will make participation much more convenient, increase voter turnout, and reduce cost of conducting elections
32.
pros for open primary: not forced in some states to make party preference know in public, tendency to exclude independent voters is eliminated
33.
runoff primary: held when no ones a majority in a race, two top vote getters in first party primary face one another for party's nomination-winner becomes nominee
34.
sample ballots: help voters prepare for an election
35.
self announcement: oldest form of nomination, person who wants to run for office announces that fact
36.
three types of automated voting: electronic vote counting, vote-by-mail, and online voting
37.
two requirements of Congress: secret ballots and voting machines in federal elections
38.
two types of australian ballots: office-group ballots and party-column ballots
39.
two types of primary: closed primary and open primary
40.
vote-by-mail elections: confined to local level and to voting on city or county measures, not on candidates for local offices
