Political Party Alignment in Elections

Election Vocabulary

Political Party • A group organized for gaining the support of voters who have a similar philosophy or set of beliefs

GOP • Stands for Grand Old Party • Nickname for the Republicans • Symbol is the elephant • Most closely aligned with conservative principles

Democrat • Name of one of the major parties in the United States • Symbol is the donkey • Most closely aligned with liberal principles

Incumbent • Person currently holding an office

Platform • The formal declaration of the principles and policies of a political party

Plank • The individual statements or positions within a party’s platform

Keynote Address • The opening speech at a political convention

Demographics • The study of characteristics of a human population including such things as age, ethnicity, education, size, density, etc.

Ethnicity • The racial, national, religious or cultural characteristics of a group of people

Gerrymandering • Arranging a district to serve a political purpose

Proposition • A bill put on a ballot

Initiative • A bill put on a ballot by a group of citizens who have circulated a petition

Referendum • A bill put on a ballot after being referred to the voters bythe legislature

Majority • A number more than one half the total

Plurality • More than any other

Electoral college • Group that actually elects the president

Reactionary • Group very far to the political right and whose methods may be violent

Radical • A person whose views are very far to the political left and whose methods may be violent

Moderate • Person whose views are considered “middle of the road”