Terms Glossary

Same Day Voter Registration is a process in which eligible voters have the ability to register to vote on the same day as the election. This greatly enhances the ability for individuals to participate in elections, especially those who may not have registered long before the election date. Same Day ...

The Secretary of State is the highest ranking cabinet official of the United States government and is responsible for the nation’s foreign policy.

The separation of church and state is the legal and political principle which holds that government and religious institutions should be kept separate and distinct from one another. This principle was established in the United States in the late 18th century as part of the First Amendment to the Con...

Separation of powers is a principle of governance in which the three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—are kept independent from one another. This principle is intended to prevent any one branch from accumulating too much power and becoming tyrannical. The separation of pow...

Separatism is a political philosophy that advocates for the independence and autonomy of distinct groups or individuals, often through the formation of independent political entities. Separatists may seek to create their own nation-state, or to achieve autonomy within an existing state.

Sheriff is an elected official in many states in the United States. Their primary role is to maintain law and order in their jurisdiction. The sheriff is the highest law enforcement officer in the county and is responsible for upholding the law, managing the county jail, and providing court security...

Simple majority is the most basic form of majority rule and occurs when more of the votes cast in an election go toward one option than toward any other option. Simple majority is a popular way to decide an election because it can be achieved with a minimum of votes.

A single-member district is an area of representation in which a single representative is elected to serve the needs of the people in that designated district. This means that instead of a larger number of representatives being elected to represent a larger population, one representative is elected ...

A slush fund refers to a pool of money that is used for illicit or unethical purposes, particularly in the context of politics and governance. Typically, slush funds are used to finance activities that evade public scrutiny, such as bribery, campaign finance violations, or other forms of corruption....

Social democracy is an ideology that advocates for reforms to the existing political and economic systems in order to create a more equitable and just society. Social democracy seeks to promote social justice through progressive taxation, public education, and social welfare programs. It also believ...

Socialism is a socio-economic system in which the means of production and distribution of goods and services are collectively owned and managed by a government, or by the people themselves. This system is based on the idea of collective responsibility, and as such, it aims to ensure that everyone is...

Speaker of the House is an elected position in the United States Congress. The Speaker of the House is the highest ranking member of the majority party in the House of Representatives and is responsible for overseeing the legislative process. The Speaker of the House is the second in the line of suc...

A special interest group is an organized group of people who share a common goal and strive to influence public policy and government decisions. These groups are typically funded by wealthy individuals and corporations, and have the ability to sway public opinion and legislation. They often use lobb...

A splinter party is a political party that has broken away from an existing party in order to advocate for a different set of beliefs or policies. It is often seen as a result of a disagreement or conflict between different factions within a party. Splinter parties usually form in order to bring mor...

Split ticket voting is a reform-minded method of voting in which a voter chooses candidates from different political parties for different offices in the same election. This form of voting allows a voter to express their individual views on the many issues that cross political party lines. It can al...

"Splitting the vote" refers to a situation where voters who support a particular political ideology or candidate are divided between two or more candidates, thereby reducing their collective vote share and increasing the chances of a candidate they do not support winning the election. In the context...

A spoiled ballot is a ballot that has been incorrectly filled, incorrectly marked, or not marked at all, rendering it invalid. Ultimately, a spoiled ballot does not contribute to the outcome of an election and is discarded from the final tally.

The spoiler effect occurs in elections when a third-party or minor candidate draws votes away from a major candidate with similar views, potentially changing the election’s outcome.

The "spoils system" is a political practice where government jobs are handed out to a winning candidate or party's supporters, friends, and relatives, rather than being awarded based on merit. The term originated in the early 19th century, and was famously encapsulated in the phrase "to the victor b...

State capture is a form of systemic political corruption where private interests significantly influence a state's decision-making processes to their advantage. This term describes a scenario where public policies and resource allocation are dictated not by the public's best interest or by democrati...

A state legislator is an elected officeholder in a state government who is responsible for making laws, policies, and regulations that apply to that particular state. State legislators are responsible for representing the interests of their constituents in the state government and are typically elec...

A state measure is a law or constitutional amendment proposed or passed by a state legislature that is binding on all people in the state. It is distinct from federal law in that it applies only to the people of the state, and not to all citizens of the United States.

State senators are representatives of their constituents in their respective state governments. They are elected by the people and their responsibility is to represent the interests of their constituents in the state legislature. State senators can propose and vote on laws, as well as serve on commi...

A state supreme court is the highest court of a state's judicial branch. These courts have the power to interpret and decide the constitutionality of state laws and the power to review decisions made by lower courts. The state supreme court is composed of justices, who are appointed or elected to se...

Straight ticket voting is a voting method used in American politics that allows voters to cast a single vote for the entire slate of candidates from a single political party. This type of voting is seen by many reformers as a form of polarization that reinforces the existing two-party system. Additi...

Strategic voting, also known as tactical voting, is a practice where voters choose a candidate based not solely on their personal preference, but on the likelihood of influencing the outcome of an election in a specific way. This behavior is particularly prevalent in electoral systems like the Unite...

Stratocracy is a form of governance where the military controls the country. Unlike other political systems where the military may hold power behind the scenes or through direct intervention (as in a military dictatorship), a stratocracy integrates the military's leadership and apparatus directly in...

A strong-mayor system is a type of mayor–council government in which the mayor has significant executive power. In this system, the mayor functions much like a governor or president at the local level, with broad authority to run the city’s day-to-day operations.

Suffrage is the right to vote. Suffrage is the ultimate expression of a free and democratic society. It is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy and has been a long-fought-for goal of those seeking to improve the lives of all citizens. The right to vote has been a hard-fought battle for people ...

A sunshine law is any law that requires government meetings, records, decisions, and processes to be open and accessible to the public. These laws are designed to “let the sunlight in” by ensuring that government actions are transparent and accountable.

A Super PAC, or "independent-expenditure-only committee," represents a distinct type of political action committee (PAC). This type of PAC was established following pivotal Supreme Court rulings, including Citizens United v. FEC (2010) and SpeechNow.org v. FEC (2010). These rulings fundamentally res...

A superdelegate is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) who is not selected by primary or caucus voters, but rather by party officials and elected leaders. The practice of using superdelegates began during the 1984 presidential election season to grant party leaders more influence....

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is an elected official who is responsible for overseeing the education system in their state. This means ensuring that students are receiving proper instruction, developing educational curriculum, and managing the finances of the school system. Superintendent...

A supermajority refers to a certain number of votes required to pass a bill or other legislative action in a government body. This number is usually higher than a simple majority, often two-thirds or three-fourths. Supermajority voting is commonly used in the United States Congress and in most state...

The term "swiftboating" comes from a specific political incident involving the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign against John Kerry during the 2004 U.S. presidential election. It refers to a targeted and misleading attack on a person's character or record. While character assassination might en...

A swing voter is someone who does not consistently vote for the same political party and whose vote can potentially "swing" an election in favor of one candidate or another. These voters tend to be more independent and less partisan, and they often make their decisions based on the specific issues a...