A ballot voters can submit by mail if they are unable to be present at their polling place on Election Day. Absentee ballots must be received on or before Election Day.

Attempts to modify laws that dictate how money can and cannot be spent in political campaigns.

Meetings in which political party members gather to assess and nominate candidates.

The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. This year, Election Day falls on November 2.

The group of individuals called “electors” whose votes officially elect the president and vice president. Elector votes are determined by the popular vote.

The name for the Republican party, which stands for “Grand Old Party.”

Someone already in a position of office. Usually the term is used to refer to someone seeking reelection. For example, Bush is the incumbent president.

A voter who claims no political party affiliation. Candidates can also run as Independents. Ralph Nader is currently running as an Independent.

Someone who represents the interests of particular groups and aims to gain the support of a candidate on a given political issue. These include gun control lobbyists, alternative energy lobbyists, and so on.

Big, giant political party parties. Typically held in arenas (the 2004 Republican Convention will take place in New York City’s Madison Square Garden). National conventions bring together thousands of party members to announce a party’s nominees for president and vice president and to review the party’s platform.

The candidate selected to run for office. John Kerry is the Democratic nominee for president.

A person who does not identify with any particular political party.

Given or dedicated to one political party. The Democratic Convention is a partisan event.

A candidate’s views on the key issues in an election. Candidates in 2004 address issues like terrorism, energy policy, and gay marriage rights in their respective platforms.

The vote of the people. Contrary to popular belief, the popular vote does not elect the president. Instead, it determines whether a candidate will receive the Electoral College’s votes in a given state.

The smallest division of voters. Precincts typically contain between 200 and 1,000 voters and encompass towns or neighborhoods.

Early elections in which voters nominate the candidate they would most like to represent their party in the presidential election. Howard Dean lost in Democratic primary electionss and then dropped out of the race.

A process in which votes are tallied more than once to check accuracy. Recounts of Florida’s voting results in the 2000 election were extremely close.

The person with whom the presidential candidate chooses to run (that is, the prospective vice president). John Edwards is Senator Kerry’s running mate.

Money that political parties use to invest in party operations. Soft money typically cannot all be used to fund presidential campaigns.

A state in which election results could “swing” either way and no candidate has established a definitive lead. Ohio is an example of a swing state in the 2004 election. Texas, a state dominated by Bush, is not a swing state.