Terms Glossary

DINO stands for “Democrat in Name Only.” It is a term used to describe a politician who affiliates with the Democratic Party, but whose policy positions and voting record often align more closely with those of the Republican Party. Examples of DINO politicians include those who oppose abortion right...

Dark Money refers to political spending made by organizations that do not have to disclose their donors. This is a form of campaign finance that allows individuals, corporations, and other entities to influence the outcome of elections by providing financial support to candidates and causes without ...

Deep canvassing is an innovative and impactful approach to political campaigning and grassroots activism, distinguished by its depth and quality of voter engagement. Deep canvassing extends beyond the scope of conventional canvassing, which often involves brief interactions with voters that are prim...

In American politics, a delegate is a person who is elected or appointed to represent a specific group of people, typically in a political party's nominating convention. These conventions are held to choose the party's official candidate for a general election. Delegates play a crucial role in the n...

Democracy is a form of government in which the power is held by the people, either directly or through their elected representatives. It is based on the idea that all citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives, and that the government is accountable to the people it serves.

A Democrat is someone who has a political affiliation with the Democratic Party in the United States. The Democratic Party is a liberal democratic political party that is in diametric opposition to the Republican Party. Democrats come in different forms of policy views, but they tend to promise soci...

Democratic Socialism is a political ideology that combines the principles of democracy with the economic theory of socialism. Democratic Socialism aims to create an egalitarian society where workers own, manage, and control the means of production; while at the same time maintaining political democr...

Digital citizenship refers to the responsible, informed, and ethical use of technology in everyday life, especially in online civic and community spaces. A good digital citizen knows how to use digital tools effectively and understands how those tools impact democracy, society, and privacy.

Direct democracy is a political system in which citizens have the ability to make policy decisions and laws directly, rather than through elected representatives. This can take the form of citizen-initiated referendums, where citizens can propose and vote on laws, or citizen-initiated recalls, where...

A direct primary is a part of the election process where the voters select their party's nominees for public office directly, rather than through the traditional party-controlled nominating process. The direct primary is widely seen as a way to give more power to the voters and to reduce the influen...

To disenfranchise is to strip citizens of their rights to vote, participate in government decisions, and exercise their constitutional rights. Disenfranchisement can occur through various means, such as through direct legislation that prevents individuals from voting, or through indirect measures li...

A district attorney (DA) is a public official, usually elected by voters, who serves as the chief prosecutor for a specific jurisdiction, such as a county or judicial district. District attorneys can also go by titles like county prosecutor, state’s attorney, or commonwealth’s attorney. The district...

District lines refer to the boundaries that are drawn to divide a state or municipality into electoral districts. These districts are used to determine the areas in which candidates will run for office, and the voters who will be represented by those candidates. District lines are often drawn by sta...

Divided government refers to a situation where different political parties control different branches of government. For example, if one party controls the White House and another party controls Congress, then the government is considered to be "divided."

A dog-whistle is a type of coded language that is used in political discourse in order to appeal to a specific demographic or group of people. It is often used by politicians to send a message to a certain group without being obvious to the general public. Dog-whistling is a form of subtle manipulat...

A donation is the voluntary transfer of money, goods, or services from one individual or group to another, without expecting anything in return. In a political context, donations are given by individuals or groups to individual political candidates, political action committees (PACs), and other enti...

Down ballot is the term used to refer to electoral contests for local, state, and national elected offices below the office of the President of the United States. This term is often used to refer to races for Congress, state legislatures, governor, judicial positions, and other state and local offic...

A duopoly is a system where two groups dominate a market, controlling supply, pricing, and production, with minimal competition from other groups. In this system, the two dominant groups are highly interdependent, making strategic decisions based on the actions and potential reactions of their compe...