Civic glossary

A ballot you fill out and return before Election Day, either by mail or at a drop-off location, instead of going to a polling place in person. Some states call this a mail ballot or vote-by-mail ballot.

The option to vote in person at a designated location during a window of days or weeks before Election Day. Early voting sites are often open to all voters in the county, not just your assigned precinct.

The specific location where you are assigned to vote in person on Election Day. It is determined by your home address and precinct, and it can change between elections.

A geographic unit used to organize voting. Your home address falls within a specific precinct, which determines your assigned polling place and which races appear on your ballot.

A paper ballot used when there is a question about a voter's eligibility on Election Day. It is set aside and counted only after eligibility is confirmed by the election office.

The process of signing up with your local election authority to be eligible to vote. Registration must be completed before a deadline set by your state, and it is tied to your current address.

A voting method where you rank candidates in order of preference (1st, 2nd, 3rd) instead of picking just one. If no candidate wins a majority, the last-place candidate is eliminated and those votes are redistributed to each voter's next choice.

A candidate whose name is not printed on the ballot. Voters write the name in by hand. In some states, write-in candidates must register in advance to be eligible to win.

A question put directly to voters to approve or reject, rather than electing a candidate. Ballot measures let citizens vote on laws, taxes, bond funding, or constitutional changes.

A ballot measure that asks voters to approve the government borrowing money to pay for a large project. The debt is paid back over time, typically through property taxes.

A tax authorized by voters to fund a specific public service, like schools or libraries. Levies are often expressed in mills, a rate applied to the assessed value of property.

The rate used to calculate property taxes, expressed in mills. One mill equals $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. Used most commonly in school levy and bond calculations.

A ballot measure that asks voters to continue an existing tax at its current rate, rather than letting it expire. A renewal does not raise taxes, it keeps them the same.

A change to a state's constitution. Constitutional amendments typically require a higher voter threshold to pass, such as 60%, and sometimes must be approved in two separate elections.

A ballot measure that citizens place on the ballot themselves by collecting a required number of petition signatures, allowing voters to propose and pass laws directly without the legislature.

A ballot measure referred to voters by the legislature or a government body, rather than initiated by citizens. Voters approve or reject the proposed change.

The branch of government that writes and passes laws. At the federal level this is Congress. Each state has its own legislature, and many cities have a council or commission that functions similarly.

The branch of government responsible for carrying out and enforcing laws. At the federal level this is the President. At the state level it is the Governor. Locally it might be a Mayor or County Executive.

The power of a President or Governor to reject a bill passed by the legislature, preventing it from becoming law. The legislature can sometimes override a veto with a supermajority vote.

The person currently holding an elected office who is running for re-election. Incumbents often have an advantage due to name recognition and existing donor networks.

A legal restriction on how many terms an elected official can serve in a particular office. Term limits are designed to prevent any one person from holding power indefinitely.

Not affiliated with or controlled by a political party. Many local races such as school board and judge are nonpartisan, meaning candidates do not run under a party label.

Involving or supported by both major political parties. A bipartisan bill or agreement has support from both Democrats and Republicans.

The official process of counting, verifying, and certifying all ballots after an election. The canvass includes reviewing mail ballots and provisional ballots before results are made official.

The formal, legal declaration that election results are official and final, made by the relevant election authority after the canvass is complete.

A full re-tally of ballots, usually triggered when the margin of victory is very small or requested by a losing candidate. Recounts use the same ballots already cast, no new votes are added.

In most U.S. states, the chief election official responsible for overseeing voter registration, administering elections, and certifying results.

A follow-up election held when no candidate reaches the required threshold to win the first election. The top two candidates from the original election face each other in the runoff.

The system used to elect the U.S. President. Each state is allocated electors equal to its congressional seats plus two senators. A candidate needs 270 of 538 electoral votes to win.

Races and measures that appear lower on the ballot than top-of-ticket races like President or Governor. These include state legislature, county commissioner, school board, and local measures.

Winning the most votes among all candidates, even if that is less than 50%. Most U.S. elections are decided by plurality.

More than half of all votes cast, meaning 50% plus at least one more vote. Some elections require a majority to win; if no one reaches it, a runoff is held.

A threshold higher than a simple majority, typically two-thirds (67%) or three-fifths (60%) of votes. Required to override vetoes, pass constitutional amendments, and some other significant actions.

A state where the presidential election outcome is uncertain and could go to either major party. Campaigns concentrate resources in swing states because winning them can determine the Electoral College.

The practice of drawing voting district boundaries to give one political party an advantage over another. Named after Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, whose 1812 redistricting produced an oddly shaped district.

The process of redrawing voting district boundaries, typically done every 10 years after the U.S. Census. Redistricting affects how many people each representative serves and can shift political power.

A tactic in the U.S. Senate where a senator prolongs debate to delay or block a vote on a bill. Ending a filibuster requires 60 votes, called a cloture vote.