Key Terms
Must be
Citizen, resident, 18+, legally competent
VAP
Voting-age population; all citizens 18+
VEP
Voting-eligible population; citizens 18+ who are eligible to vote (not imprisoned, meet state requirements)
Age
Strongest consistent predictor
Why older citizens vote more
They rely on government - Social Security, Medicare, state services. Government is a daily reality, not an abstract conc
Gender
Women now vote at higher rates than men. In 2016, 73.7 million women (63.3%) voted vs.
Barriers to candidacy
Residency requirements, age requirements, voting status, family scrutiny, financial exposure, and need for campaign back
War chests
Campaign accounts registered with the FEC. Candidates can keep prior donations if they plan to run again.
Women in office
Family obligations, not ambition, account for why women tend to run for lower office first or wait until children are ol
Closed primary
Only registered party members can vote
Open primary
Any registered voter can participate in any party's primary
Top-two primary (jungle primary)
All candidates compete; top two advance regardless of party
Caucus
Informal party meeting to select nominees; 20% lower turnout than primary
Frontloading
States scheduling primaries earlier to gain influence; causes viable candidates to drop out before later states vote
Delegates
Party members who vote at conventions on behalf of local voters