Elections: Vocabulary

a series of actions performed to help reach a goal, such as winning an election

• campaign

• candidate

• nomination

• platform

a person who is running for an elected position or competing for a job

• candidate

• poll

• nomination

• convention

a large meeting of political party members to choose candidates and decide the party’s views on issues

• campaign

• convention

• nomination

• Electoral College

a contest on Election Day in November in which candidates are elected to office

• general election

• primary election

• convention

• poll

the body of electors chosen from each state to elect the president and vice president of the U.S.

• Electoral College

• political party

• swing state

• platform

the act of formally choosing someone as a candidate for a job or position

• nomination

• register

• platform

• campaign

a political party’s positions and plans to solve the country’s problems

• platform

• nomination

• convention

• ticket

a group of citizens with similar ideas on how the country should be run

(Ex: Democrats and Republicans)

• political party

• ticket

• candidate

• Electoral College

a survey of people’s opinions or beliefs; or a public place where voters cast ballots on Election Day

• poll

• platform

• convention

• popular vote

a sheet of paper used to cast a secret vote

• ballot

• poll

• platform

• nomination