Politics that focuses on the candidates, their particular issues, and character rather than party affiliation.
critical election
An election that signals a party realignment through voter polarization around new issues and personalities.
national convention
A party meeting held in the presidential year for the purposes of nominating a presidential and vice presidential ticket and adopting a platform.
superdelegate
Delegate to the democratic party's national convention that is reserved for a party official and whose vota at the convention is unpledged to a candidate.
national party platform
a statement of the general and specific philosophy and policy goals of a political party, usually promulgated at the national convention.
party identification
A citizen's personal affinity for a political party, usually expressed by a tendency to vote for the candidates of that party.
proportional representation
a voting system that apportions legislative seats according to the percentage of the vote won by a particular political party.
winner-take-all system
An electoral system in which the party that receives at least one more vote than any other party wins the election.