This is the political glossary for terms affiliated with political power.
Absentee Voting
A way people can vote when they can’t get to their polling place. They vote on a special form and mail it in.
Act (as defined in the Georgia Legislature)
Act and other laws enacted at the session are printed in the Georgia Laws series. Also, the act is incorporated into the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. Act becomes effective the following July 1, unless a different effective date is provided in act.
Appropriation
An act of Congress that enables Federal agencies to spend money for specific purposes.
Citizens United
“Citizens United” refers to the pivotal 2010 Supreme Court ruling—Citizens United v. FEC—that reshaped campaign finance and the role of money in U.S. politics. The decision struck down certain long-standing limits on political fundraising and spending, fundamentally altering the nation’s political terrain. Most significantly, it gave corporations, nonprofits, and unions the ability to spend without limits on political activity.
The ruling also removed caps on how much individuals may give to PACs and, for the first time, permitted corporations, nonprofit organizations, and unions to contribute to PACs—again, with no spending ceiling. What followed? A surge of cash poured into the elections that came after. For the first time ever, individuals and groups alike could pour unlimited funds into promoting candidates through super PACs. That said, this didn’t create unlimited direct donations to campaigns. The decision applied only to independent political expenditures. A candidate’s authorized campaign operates under a separate set of rules. In fact, PACs are legally barred from coordinating in any way with a candidate’s campaign.
Congressional Districts (CD)
The 435 areas in which the nation is divided for the purpose of electing members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Each district is to be as proportional in population size as practicable within a given state.
Constituency
All of the voters in a particular district.
Constituent
Having the right to vote or elect; any of the voters represented by a particular official.
(The) “Democrat Party”
The term “Democrat Party” is often employed by Republican critics as a slight against the Democratic Party.
The proper name is the Democratic Party, and the use of “Democrat Party” is considered pejorative by many, intended to emphasize the “rat” syllable and to imply that the party is not truly “democratic” in nature.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are organizational principles aimed at ensuring fair treatment, meaningful involvement, and equal opportunities for everyone—especially individuals from communities that have traditionally faced marginalization or discrimination tied to identity or disability. These three pillars work together as interconnected values that many organizations strive to embed into their culture and systems.
Diversity highlights the range of differences represented within a workplace, including—but not limited to—race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic background, culture, religion, and veteran status.
Equity focuses on fairness, justice, and balancing systemic inequalities by ensuring people have access to the support, compensation, and opportunities they need to achieve comparable outcomes. This often means acknowledging historical disadvantages and directing resources or decision-making power toward groups that have been disproportionately affected.
In practice, equity also requires understanding each person’s specific circumstances and tailoring support so that everyone can reach similar levels of success.
Inclusion involves cultivating a workplace environment where individuals feel valued, heard, and fully integrated into the organizational community. An inclusive culture encourages open participation and fosters a genuine sense of belonging for all employees.
Election Day (Federal)
The day reserved for people to vote. In general elections, it is by tradition the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Primary elections are also usually held on Tuesdays.
Electoral College
The voters, or electors, of each state that formally elect the United States President and Vice President. Each state has as many electoral college votes as it does U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators in Congress.
Federal
Of or describing a union of states having a central government or pertaining to that government.
Filibuster
An informal term for extended debate or other procedures used to prevent a vote on a bill in the Senate.
Law
An act of Congress that has been signed by the President or passed over his veto by Congress. The two digits before the hyphen correspond to the Congress (or state legislature), and the one or more digits after the hyphen refer to the numerical sequence in which the bills were signed by the President during that Congress (or state legislature).
Majority/Minority Leader
Leads the majority party in Congress. There is a majority and minority leader for each house of Congress and state legislature.
Majority Whip
Assists the leader, rounds up votes for the majority party, heads a group of deputy whips. There is one in each house of Congress and state legislature.
Minority Whip
In the House, assists the minority leader, rounds up votes, heads a large forum of deputy and assistant whips.
Motion
A motion is a formal proposal by a member to do something. Motions are the basis of the group decision-making process. Generally, a motion should be phrased in a way to take an action or express an opinion.
Motion to Recommit
A motion that requests a bill be sent back to committee for further consideration. Normally, the motion is accompanied by instructions concerning what the committee should change in the legislation or general instructions such as that the committee should hold further hearings.
Motion to Table
A motion that is not debatable and that can be made by any Senator or Representative on any pending question. Agreement to the motion is equivalent to defeating the question tabled.
Nominee
The person that a political party chooses to represent it in a general election. This is called nomination.
Non-partisan
Not supporting or controlled by a group or a cause.
Partisan
A strong, often emotional supporter of a person or cause; can apply to a group as well as individuals.
Party
A group of people who join together because they share many ideas about what the government should do.
Platform
A public statement of the principles, objectives, and policy of a political party, a plan.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
An organization created to raise money in support or opposition of a particular candidate or candidates. A PAC must be registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and may be formed by any group, including businesses, labor unions, and special interest groups.
Override a Veto
If the President disapproves a bill and sends it back to Congress with his objections, Congress may try to override his veto and enact the bill into law. Neither house is required to attempt to override a veto. The override of a veto requires a recorded vote with a two-thirds majority in each chamber. The question put to each house is: “Shall the bill pass, the objections of the President to the contrary notwithstanding?”
Poll
A place where citizens vote for a specific candidate and/or vote for or against a specific legislation; also refers to a survey to assess public opinion or to forecast an election.
Pollster
A person or company that researches public opinion.
Precinct
An administrative division of voters by neighborhood; smallest political unit in U.S. politics. Cities and counties are divided into precinct polling districts that have varying numbers of registered voters based on State law.
Public
Of or having to do with the people as a whole.
Quorum
The number of Representatives or Senators that must be present before business can begin. In the House 218 members must be present for a quorum. In the Senate 51 members must be present; however, the Senate can conduct daily business without a quorum unless it is challenged by a point of order.
Ratified
Formal approval by voters or other persons.
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing congressional and state legislative maps based on census data. The draw during the 2021 redistricting cycle affects every voter across the United States by determining the districts where they cast election ballots for the next 10 years, and the allocation of power.
Referendum
The legal process of submitting to the voters for their approval or rejection of proposed state or rejection of proposed state of local laws or constitutional amendments.
Sponsor
The original member who introduces a bill.
Substitute Amendment
An amendment that would replace existing language of a bill or another amendment with its own.
Super PAC
Super PACs are a newer form of political action committee that emerged after a key July 2010 federal court ruling in SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission. That decision cleared the way for a major shift in how money moves through U.S. elections.
Formally called independent expenditure-only committees, super PACs can raise unlimited amounts of money from corporations, labor unions, trade associations, and individual donors. They can also spend unlimited funds to openly support or oppose political candidates. There’s a catch, though. Unlike traditional PACs, super PACs cannot give money directly to a candidate’s campaign. Their spending must remain completely independent and cannot be coordinated with the candidates they aim to help or defeat.
Transparency rules still apply. Super PACs must disclose their donors to the Federal Election Commission either monthly or twice a year during non-election years—whichever reporting schedule they select—and they are required to file monthly reports during election years. These disclosure requirements are meant to provide public insight into who is funding independent political spending.
Veto
A power that allows the President, a governor or a mayor to refuse approval of a piece of legislation. Federally, a President returns a vetoed bill to the Congress, generally with a message. Congress can accept the veto or attempt to override the veto by a 2/3 majority of those present and voting in both the House and the Senate.
In Georgia, The governor may sign a bill or do nothing, and the bill becomes law. The governor may veto a bill, which requires two-thirds of members of each house to override.
