US Electoral System and Political Terms

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Single-Member Districts

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The electoral system used to select members of the House of Representatives

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Redistricting

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Changing congressional district boundaries based on a new census

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Gerrymandering

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Drawing congressional district boundaries to benefit a group, usually a political party

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Safe Seat

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A congressional seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, incumbency, gerrymandering - or a combination of all three.

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Critical Elections

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An election where new coalitions of voters have formed, beginning a new party era

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Realignment

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The process through which voters leave one of the major party coalition and join the other major party's coalition

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Dealignment

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When voters no longer identify with one of the two major parties and become independent voters

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Divided Government

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When the president is from one political party and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by the opposing political party

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Open Primary

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An election to determine a party's candidate for office in which that party's members and unaffiliated voters may vote

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Closed Primary

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A vote by party members to determine their party's candidate for office, which is restricted to those who are registered to the party.