This vocabulary will help you understand words about political campaigns and elections in the United States.

American political election vocabulary

To pick/select a candidate for political office, or an issue on a ballot

A set of organized actions that a political candidate undertakes in an attempt to win an election

A mass meeting of people making a political protest or showing support for a cause.

An election that is very close between two or more candidates.

(In the US) a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

an electoral district of a city or town served by a single polling place.

A situation in which individuals or groups compete to be first to achieve a particular objective.

a person who votes or has the right to vote at an election.

a formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position.

illegal interference with the process of an election

The political office that appears at the top of a ballot (usually presidential candidates).

an assessment of public opinion obtained by questioning a representative sample.

declare one's public approval or support of.

a person who deserts one party or cause in order to join an opposing one.

A pejorative used to describe politicians of the Republican Party who are deemed to be insufficiently loyal to the party or aligned with the party's ideology.

Someone in the middle of the political spectrum.

Someone on the center-left of the political spectrum.

Someone on the left-wing of the political spectrum.

Someone on the right of the political spectrum.

someone who competes against or fights another in a contest, game, or argument; a rival or adversary.

Elections for federal, state, and local elections held between presidential elections.

An off-year election is a general election in the United States which is held when neither a presidential election nor a midterm election takes place.

(in the US) a preliminary election to appoint delegates to a party conference or to select the candidates for a principal, especially presidential, election.

a regular election of candidates for office, as opposed to a primary election.

a further competition, election, race, etc., after a tie or inconclusive result.

an act of giving one's public approval or support to someone or something. Usually done by a newspaper, elected official, or popular person.

a speech repeatedly delivered by a politician during their campaign for election or re-election to public office.

the contestant that is leading in a race or other competition.

a building where voting takes place during an election, typically one that normally has another function, such as a school.

To vote before the official day of the election.

a person who brings leaders to power through the exercise of political influence.

the number of people attending or taking part in an election.

To make the results of an election official.

a ballot completed and typically mailed in advance of an election by a voter who is unable to be present at the polls.

a sealed box into which voters put completed ballots.

A movement is one that uses the people in a given district, region or community as the basis for a political or economic movement

Interacting with voters by going to their homes.

elect (someone) to a further term of office.

Increase in public support in public opinion polling data.

Increase in support for a candidate after a political convention.

Effort by a campaign to get their supports to vote.

To vote on an issue instead of a candidate

An event which selects their candidates for political office/elections

The process whereby citizens register with election officials in order to become eligible to vote.

A person who is proposed or formally entered as a candidate for an office

A state that typically votes for Republican candidates.

A state that typically votes for Democratic candidates.

A state that support candidates of any party.