Elections and relating to the electoral system

advance poll (noun)

in Canada, a system that lets people vote before an election because they will be away from home at the time of the election

beauty contest (noun)

Americanmainly journalism a type of primary election in which people’s votes have no real effect, but instead show the political parties which candidates are most popular

by-election (noun)

mainly British an election in one particular area to choose a new representative in parliament or on a council, or to replace someone who died or left the job

campaign (noun)

a series of things that a politician or political party does to try to win an election

chad (noun)

American a piece removed from a ballot by a voter or voting machine in order to record a vote

direct elections (noun)

elections in which the people of a country vote for the politicians they want to represent them, instead of a system in which a smaller group of representatives vote

disenfranchise (verb)

to no longer allow someone to have the right to vote

dog whistle (adjective)

showing disapproval used for referring to political messages that are aimed at particular groups and will only be fully understood by them

elect (adjective)

elected to an important position, but not yet given that position officially

election (noun)

an occasion when people vote for someone to represent them, especially in government

electioneering (noun)

things that politicians say and do to persuade people to vote for them in an election, often things that do not seem sincere or fair

elective (adjective)

an elective position is one that someone holds because people have voted for them

electoral (adjective)

relating to elections

enfranchise (verb)

to give someone the right to vote

exit poll (noun)

a way of guessing the results of an election by asking people who have just finished voting who they voted for

fall (verb)

if an area falls to a political party during an election, a different party takes control of it

fix (verb)

to dishonestly arrange something such as a game or election so that it has the result that someone wants

franchise (noun)

the right to vote in elections

Gallup poll ()

a way of finding out what most people think about an issue by asking a number of them questions, especially in order to find out how they will vote in an election

general election (noun)

an election in which every adult in the country can vote for the people who will represent them in government

hard money (noun)

amounts of money, limited by the government, that are given to politicians and can be legally used to influence elections

in (adjective)

if a politician or a political party is in, they have been elected

incoming (adjective)

recently elected or chosen for a job or position

landslide (noun)

a situation in which a person or political party wins an election by a very big majority

logrolling (noun)

American in U.S. politics, the practice of agreeing to vote for someone else’s proposal, so that they will do the same for you later

mandate (noun)

the period of time during which an elected government or official is allowed to be in power

margin (noun)

the amount by which a competition or election is won

marginal (adjective)

British won by very few votes

off-year (noun)

American a year in which no major elections are held

on/at the hustings ()

making speeches before an election to try to persuade people to vote for you

on the stump ()

a special trip by a politician to meet voters and try to get their support

open primary (noun)

primary election in which any voter may vote for any candidate

platform (noun)

the policies and goals of a political party, especially the ones that they state in order to get people to vote for them

poll (verb)

to get a particular number or percentage of votes in an election or referendum

the polls (noun)

the place where people vote

pollster (noun)

a person or organization that prepares a poll

popularly (adverb)

primary (noun)

an election in which people in a particular state in the U.S. choose their candidate for president

proportional representation (noun)

a system of voting in which the number of representatives in government from each political party is based on the number of votes each party receives

proxy (noun)

someone who has the authority to do something for you, especially to vote

put something to the vote ()

to ask people to vote on a proposal

put up ()

to suggest that someone should be elected to a particular position

recount (noun)

an occasion when something is counted again, especially the votes in an election

recount (verb)

to count something again, especially the votes in an election

referendum (noun)

an occasion when everyone in a country can vote to make a decision about one particular subject

result (noun)

the final score, or the name of the winner of a sports event or election

returns (noun)

the results of an election

rig (verb)

to influence something such as an election in a dishonest way in order to produce a particular result

round (noun)

one of a series of elections

run (noun)

an attempt to be elected to an official job or position

runoff (noun)

a second election or competition that is organized when the first one does not have a winner

safe seat (noun)

British a place where a particular political party is expected to win an election because most people support them

scrutineer (noun)

British someone who examines something carefully, especially an official whose job is to examine or count the votes in an election and see that it was fair

seek (verb)

to ask people to vote for something

show of hands (noun)

an occasion when people in a room vote by putting their hands up

spoiler (noun)

American someone who spoils someone else’s performance or success in an election or competition

straight (adjective)

American used for saying that someone votes only for the members of one particular political party

suffrage (noun)

the right to vote

suffragette (noun)

in the U.S. and the U.K., a woman who took part in public protests about giving women the right to vote in the early 1900s. Suffragettes were prepared to break the law in order to support their demands, but suffragists used only lawful methods.

suffragist (noun)

someone who campaigns for people to have the right to vote, especially those in the U.K. and U.S. who campaigned for women's right to vote in the early 1900s. Suffragists used only lawful methods, while suffragettes were prepared to break the law in order to support their demands.

Super Tuesday (noun)

a Tuesday in March during a year in which there is an election for the president of the U.S., when many states hold elections to choose who will be in the national election