Terms Glossary

In the United States, a Tax Commissioner is an elected or appointed official who is responsible for overseeing tax collection and administration for a state or local government. The specific duties of the Tax Commissioner vary from state to state, but generally include collecting taxes, administerin...

The Tea Party is a conservative political movement in the United States that emerged in 2009. It is largely made up of grassroots members who advocate limited government fiscal responsibility, free markets, and constitutionalism. Tea Party members have been involved in various political campaigns an...

Term limits are the restriction of the number of consecutive terms an individual may serve in an elected office. This limitation is often used to protect the public from career politicians who are more interested in their own personal and financial interests than in improving the lives of their cons...

Text banking is a form of voter outreach. Text banking involves sending text messages to potential voters, donors, or other target audiences. As with phone banking, text banking serves multiple purposes but is adapted to the brief, direct nature of text communication.

A think tank is an institution that researches and provides policy advice on political and social issues, with the goal of influencing public opinion and policy decisions. Think tanks are generally independent of government and corporate interests, and bring together experts from a variety of discip...

A third party is a political party other than the two major political parties in the United States, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. A third-party candidate is someone who is running for office outside of the two major parties.

Totalitarianism is one of the most extreme forms of government, characterized by the concentration of power in the hands of a single leader or party and the subjugation of individual freedoms to the will of the state. This political system seeks to control every aspect of public and private life, of...

A town council is a local governing body elected by citizens of a municipality. It is typically responsible for providing services such as upkeep of public infrastructure, delivery of general services, and maintenance of public safety. Town councils are generally made up of elected representatives f...

A township is a local government unit in the United States, typically located in rural areas, that is responsible for providing public services and governance to its population. Townships are typically governed by a board of elected officials and are managed by a supervisor or clerk. Townships are d...

In the United States, a Treasurer is an elected official who is responsible for managing a state's finances and investments. The specific duties of the Treasurer vary from state to state, but generally include managing the state's budget, overseeing the collection of taxes and other revenue, and inv...

Tribalism, in the political context, refers to strong loyalty to one's own group, party, or identity. Tribalism often manifests as an "us versus them" mentality. Rooted in evolutionary psychology, tribalism once served to foster cohesion within groups, enhancing their chances of survival against ext...

A two-party system is a political system where two major political parties control all levels of government. The United States is an example of a two-party system in which two major parties, the Democrats and Republicans, dominate politics from local to national levels in judicial, legislative, and ...