Helpful Articles:
Absentee Voting: State-regulated systems where voters who are unable or unwilling to attend an official polling station can vote by other methods, including by mail.
Ballot Drop Box: Secure and locked structures operated by state election officials where voters may deliver their completed ballots ahead of elections. Some states do not allow drop boxes for collecting ballots, and state laws on drop boxes may change over time.
Ballot Measure: A proposed law that voters, state legislators, or commissions can put up for a popular vote.
Congress: The national legislative branch, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate
Congressional Districts: The 435 areas from which members are elected to the U.S. House of Representatives
Disinformation: False information deliberately and often covertly spread (such as planting rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth.
Early Voting: State-regulated process by which voters can cast ballots before election days.
Electorate: People who are eligible to vote
General Election: Statewide elections in which registered voters can decide the state and national officials who will head the government
Gerrymandering: The drawing up of voting districts in states in unusual shapes in order to benefit a single political party
Governor: The person elected to be the head of the government of a U.S. state
Gubernatorial Election: The election where a state's voters select their governor. In 2024, 11 states will hold gubernatorial elections.
Incumbent: A person currently holding office and may be running for re-election
Independent Voter: A voter who does not belong to or register with a political party
Intermediate Appellate Court: A State court that hears appeals from trial courts. 30 states are holding intermediate appellate court elections in 2024. Also known as the Court of Appeals.
Lieutenant Governor: The executive officer of a state who is second in rank to a governor and takes the governor's place in case of resignation, disability, or death.
Misinformation: Incorrect or misleading information
Municipal Elections: Local elections where residents vote for local government offices like mayors, district attorneys, city councils, sheriffs, and boards of education.
Non-partisan: Not associated with a particular political party
Partisan: Associated with a particular political party
Party Platform: Statement of the principles, beliefs, or goals of a political group
Political Affiliation: The party in which a voter is registered
Polling Place: A place where voters are cast
Primary Election: Preliminary elections in which voters choose party candidates to run for office in general elections
Register: The process by which a person's name is added to the list of eligible voters in a state
Representative Democracy: A government (like the U.S.) in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws
Secretary of State (state government): Secretary of State duties vary by state. Most commonly, they are responsible for conducting elections, administering business contracts, and maintaining official state records.
State Attorney General: The chief legal officer of a state. Most are elected, although a few are appointed by the governor.
State Legislature: The legislative body of each state that is responsible for creating state laws. Members of the state legislature are elected every two years. In 2024, 44 states are holding elections for state legislatures.
State Supreme Court: The highest court in each state's court system. The judgment of state laws by state supreme courts is considered final in both state and federal courts.
Trial Court: State courts of law where civil and criminal cases are tried in the first place. In 2024, 12 states are holding elections for trial court judges.
U.S. House of Representatives: The lower house of Congress consisting of 435 members from all states who each serve two-year terms
U.S. Senate: The upper house of the Congress, with two members from each state (100 members total) who each serve six-year terms. In 2024, 34 U.S. Senate seats are up for election.
Vote by Mail: State-regulated systems that allow voters to receive and return election ballots by mail.
Voter Fraud: Intentional, illegal actions aimed at changing or influencing the results of an election. Voter fraud is extremely rare in local, state, and federal elections.
Definitions courtesy of: GenerationNation, New Jersey Department of State, Oxford Languages, Polyas, USA.gov
