Political Parties Vocabulary

A group who seeks to control the government through winning elections and holding public office.

• Grassroots

• Closed Primary

• Political Party

• Interest Groups

A party's formal statement of basic principles/stance on major issues and objectives

• Ticket

• General election

• Independents

• Party Platform

The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November; An indirect election where voters cast ballots for a slate of candidates of the Electoral College.

• Caucus

• General Election

• P.A.C.

  Political Action Committee

• Electorate

An organization whose members share certain views and work to shape public policy in their favor.

• Interest Group

• Third Party

• Democrats

• Republicans

Supported by two political parties

• Initiative

• Recall

• Bipartisan

• Presidential Primary

A term used to describe people who have no party affiliation

• Bipartisan

• Open Primary

• Political Party

• Independents

A person who tries to persuade public officials to vote in favor of issues that interest groups are connected to

• Lobby/Lobbyists

• Candidate

• Interest Groups

• Straight Ticket Voting

A nominating process where people of similar political parties meet to select the candidate they will support

• Open Primary

• Presidential Primary

• Closed Primary

• Caucus

Only voters within a given party can vote in that party's primary

• Closed Primary

• Open Primary

• Caucus

• Presidential Primary

An election where a party's voters express a preference for their presidential nomination

• Party Platform

• Grassroots

• Presidential Primary

• PACs