POLYAS Election Glossary

We provide explanations and background information on elections, voting rights and digital democracy

  • Absentee Voting
    Absentee voting allows people to vote without having to be physically present on election day.
  • Abstained Votes
    An abstained vote means voting neither for nor against any candidate or motion.
  • Act of Parliament
    An Act of Parliament is a piece of primary legislation which has to pass through Parliament to become law.
  • Advance Voting
    Advance voting allows voters to cast their ballots before the scheduled election day or period.
  • Association Bylaws
    An association's bylaws are essentially the constitution of the association.
  • Associations
    Associations are organizations whose members share a common interest or work towards a common goal.
  • Authentication
    Authentication ensures that something is genuine. Only authenticated voters can participate in online voting.
  • Ballot Box
    A closed container into which voters deposit their ballot papers during an election.
  • Ballot Box Election
    The ballot box election is the traditional form of voting which takes place directly at the polling place.
  • Ballot Paper
    The ballot paper is the form which eligible voters fill out in order to excercise their right to vote.
  • Base count
    The base count is the reference value used to calculate the results.
  • Bellwether State
    Bellwether states are those states in the US whose electorates tend to reflect the voting behavior of the entire country.
  • Bill of Rights
    The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution.
  • Block Checksums
    A block checksum ensures the safe transfer and storage of ballots in an online election
  • Board Chairman
    The board chairman is responsible for presiding over meetings of the board.
  • Board Members
    Board members sit on the governing board of an organization.
  • Board Officers
    Board officers are responsible for the overall performance of an organization.
  • Branches of Government
    Government power is usually separated between different branches.
  • Brokered Convention
    Brokered conventions occur when no individual wins a majority of delegates to become a party's presidential candidate.
  • BSI - Federal Ministry for Security in Information Technology
    The BSI is Germany's top federal authority regarding IT security.
  • BSI-Standards
    The introduction and implementation of BSI standards is important for IT risk management. The standards include testing IT security and awarding IT security certificates.
  • By-election
    By-elections are held to fill vacancies in the legislature which arise before the end of the legislative term.
  • Bylaws
    Bylaws are rules created by organizations in order to regulate themselves.
  • Canadian House of Commons
    The Canadian House of Commons is the lower chamber of the Canadian Parliament.
  • Canadian Parliament
    The Canadian Parliament is the country’s federal legislative branch of government.
  • Canadian Senate
    The Canadian Senate is the upper chamber of the Canadian Parliament.
  • Candidate
    An applicant for a political position. The candidacy stage tests their political credentials on the campaign trail.
  • Caucus
    A caucus is part of the primary election process where party members vote for their preferred presidential candidate.
  • Chambers of Commerce
    Chambers of commerce are associations of businesses which exist to influence and lobby government on issues impacting on business.
  • Church Elections
    Church elections are held to select representatives to handle the administrative affairs of the church.
  • Cloture
    Cloture is a procedure used in the US Senate to end stalling debates.
  • Coattail Effect
    The coattail effect describes the phenomenon of a popular presidential candidate or political party leader being able to attract votes for other candidates in his or her party.
  • Code of Ethics
    A code of ethics is a set of guiding principles that help members of organizations, professionals or employees act with integrity as they carry out their roles.
  • Codetermination
    Codetermination is a system of corporate governance under which employees of an organization can vote for representatives on its board of directors.
  • Common Criteria
    Common Criteria are internationally recognised security standards for the testing and assessment of IT products.
  • Compulsory Voting
    Compulsory voting refers to the practice of forcing a population to vote in a given election by law.
  • Conflict of Interest
    A conflict of interest arises when a person or organization has multiple interests, one of which threatens to corrupt the decision-making process of the person or organisation with regards to the other interest.
  • Constituency
    A constituency is a geographically defined area in which voters elect a representative to a legislative body such as a parliament.
  • Constitution
    A constitution is a set of fundamental rules that determine how a country or state is run.
  • Contested Election Results
    Contested election results may lead to the need to a highly scrutinized second election.
  • Cooperatives
    Cooperatives are membership organizations which share a common interest and are owned by the members.
  • Council Chairman
    A council chairman leads meetings of council officers.
  • Council Elections
    Council elections serve the purpose of electing local government representatives.
  • Council Officers
    Council officers are tasked with managing the overall performance of an organization.
  • Credit Unions
    Credit unions are financial cooperatives which are owned by their members.
  • Cumulative Voting
    Cumulative voting allows voters to cast several votes for one candidate in an election.
  • D'Hondt Highest Averages Method
    The D'Hondt system of highest averages determines the highest average value for the nomination lists that were voted for, and this determines the allocation of seats.
  • Data Backup
    Data backup involves copying data for safe-keeping.
  • Data Protection
    Data protection generally refers to securing data against loss or damage.
  • Data Security
    Data security generally refers to securing data against unauthorized use.
  • Delegates
    Delegates are people authorized to vote on behalf of others in an indirect election.
  • Democracy
    Democracy is a term used to describe systems of government in which power ultimately lies with the people.
  • Digital Key
    A digital key consists of random strings, which combined with an algorithm convert data into coded text.
  • Digital Single Market
    The Digital Single Market is a strategy for strengthening the digital economy within the EU.
  • Digital Voting
    Digital voting (also known as web voting) refers to systems which make use of digital technologies, specifically the internet, to allow people to vote in an election and votes to be counted online.
  • Direct Elections
    Direct elections are those in which the electorate cast votes directly for candidates or political parties.
  • Donkey Vote
    A donkey vote is a type of vote which can be cast under a preferential voting system.
  • Early Voting
    Early voting occurs when voters can cast their vote before the official election day.
  • Election Campaign
    During an election campaign, candidates or parties compete for votes.
  • Election Day and Night
    Election day refers to the day that voters participate in an election, and election night is the evening after in which the results are normally announced.
  • Election Fraud
    Voter fraud, electoral fraud or vote rigging are intentional, illegal actions aimed at changing or influencing or forcing the results of an election.
  • Election Principles
    Here are the core principles of a democratic election for political elections as established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948.
  • Election Results
    The election results are the final results of a concluded election.
  • Election Software
    Election software enables people to set up and vote in elections online.
  • Election Threshold
    An election threshold is the minimum share of votes that a party or candidate must obtain in order to be permitted seats within a legislature.
  • Electioneering
    The term “electioneering” refers to the act of campaigning to influence the result of an election in favor of a particular candidate or party.
  • Elections
    An election is a democratic procedure through which one or more persons are chosen as executives or representatives in certain bodies.
  • Electoral College
    An electoral college is a process, rather than a college or building. It consists of a group of people who are responsible for electing a candidate into a particular office.
  • Electoral System
    An electoral system regulates the entire election process.
  • Electronic Voting
    E-voting systems enable votes in an election to be cast and/or counted electronically.
  • Executive Branch
    The executive branch of government is responsible for the overall governance of a state.
  • Federal Election Campaign Act
    The Federal Election Campaign Act is the main law governing campaign finance in the US.
  • Federal Election Commission
    The Federal Election Commission regulates campaign finance in US federal elections.
  • Filibuster
    A filibuster is a tactic used by minorities in the US Senate to stall parliamentary decisions by prolonging debates.
  • First Past the Post
    First past the post is the electoral system used in UK and US elections.
  • George Pólya
    George Pólya was a mathematician and is the namesake of POLYAS.
  • Governor
    A United States Governor is the chief officer in their state. They function as the head of State government, therefore overseeing the proper functioning of the state.
  • Hanging Chad
    A hanging chad is a fragment of a punched card ballot paper, which remains attached to it, resulting in an incompletely filled out ballot.
  • Hard Money
    Hard money is a donation or contribution made directly to a specific political candidate.
  • Hare-Niemeyer Method
    The Hare-Niemeyer method is a mathematical method to calculate the allocation of seats in a proportional representation election.
  • House of Representatives
    The House of Representatives is the lower chamber in the United States Congress.
  • In-house Elections
    In-house elections are those in which voters have to be present at a polling place in order to participate.
  • Independent Politician
    An independent politician is someone who it not affiliated with a political party.
  • Internet Election
    Internet elections are those in which ballot papers are filled out electronically, using the internet.
  • Invalid Votes
    An invalid vote is a vote which doesn't count towards the final election result.
  • IT Risk Management
    IT risk management describes a catalogue of security measures outlined by the BSI, for the purpose of protecting IT systems against various hazards.
  • IT-Security
    IT-Security refers to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of IT systems.
  • iVoting
    iVoting refers to systems which allow people to vote in an election or referendum from any device connected to the internet.
  • Joint Chiefs of Staff
    The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a group of senior military leaders in the US Department of Defense.
  • Labor Unions
    Labor unions are representational bodies of groups of workers who band together in order to protect their interests and rights through collective bargaining.
  • Law
    Laws are rules recognized by communities or societies which regulate the actions of their citizens.
  • Legal Rule
    A legal rule is one which has been officially approved by a state's legislative body
  • Legislative Process
    The term “legislative process” refers to the procedure through which a proposed law goes in order to become law.
  • Legislative Term
    The legislative term is the period of time for which an elected official holds office.
  • Licensing Board
    Licensing boards are bodies which have the authority to grant licenses to people so that they can work in a particular profession.
  • Likely voter
    The term “likely voter” is used to describe one of multiple voter segments by opinion pollsters in the run up to elections.
  • List Elections
    In a list election several candidates are elected together 'en bloc' through party election lists.
  • Majority Vote
    In majority voting, a single proposal is chosen from a number of alternatives by the majority of voters.
  • Mandate
    The term mandate refers to an order or authorization, and in political terms specifically describes the authority given by an electorate to someone acting as its representative.
  • Mutuals
    Mutuals are member organizations which operate for the benefit of their members and provide services to them.
  • Net Neutrality
    Net neutrality is the concept that Internet service providers have to treat all data equally.
  • None of the Above
    None of the above is an option that allows a voter to not cast vote for any of the candidates on a ballot.
  • Ombudsman
    An appointed official acting as an external examiner on government institutions that works independently to protect the rights of the people.
  • Online Poll
    Online polling describes a digital decision-making process
  • Online Voter ID
    An online voter ID is one part of the authentication-credentials necessary to participate in online elections.
  • Online Voting
    Online voting allows entire elections to be set up and completed online.
  • Open Ballot System
    The term “open ballot system” is used to describe votes in which participant’s choices are not confidential.
  • Overhang Seat
    Overhang seats occur when a political party receives more seats in parliament than its proportional share of the vote.
  • Panachage
    Panachage allows voters to allocate their votes to candidates across different party lists.
  • Parliamentary Sovereignty
    Parliamentary sovereignty means that parliament is superior to the executive and judicial branches of government
  • Passive electioneering
    Passive electioneering refers to supporters of a particular political party or candidate wearing campaign-themed clothing to the polling place.
  • Percentage hurdle
    A percentage hurdle (also electoral threshold) aims to counteract the “fragmentation” of a body or committee that results from allocating seats between large numbers of small lists.
  • Petition
    A petition is a formal request for action written to a governmental authority or individual public office holder.
  • Political Action Committee
    A political action committee (PAC) in the United States is an organization which collects funds from members and then directs them towards political campaigns.
  • Political Pressure Group
    Political pressure groups are organizations set up in order to influence government policy making, legislation and public opinion.
  • Poll
    Polls allow decisions to be reached by casting votes.
  • Polling Card
    A polling card provides information about the logistics of how and where people can vote in an election or referendum.
  • Polling Place
    A polling place is a physical location where people go to cast their vote during an election
  • Popular Vote
    The term “popular vote” has two different meanings.
  • Pork Barrel Politics
    Pork barrel politics means allocating federal funds to local projects which benefits the politician and their district.
  • Postal Voting
    Postal voting is a form of absentee voting.
  • Presidential Election
    The US presidential election process is relatively complex by global standards.
  • Primary
    Primaries are conducted to select a candidate within a party, especially in the Presidential election.
  • Prime Minister
    The Prime Minister in Canada is the head of government and the most powerful member of the core executive.
  • Proportional Representation
    Proportional representation results in parliamentary seats being allocated to parties based on the percentage of the total vote they won in the election.
  • Protest Vote
    A protest vote is cast in an election or referendum in order to convey the voter’s disapproval of the available options or the political system as a whole.
  • Provisional Ballot
    Provisional ballots ensure that all qualified voters have a chance to cast a ballot even if their eligibility is questioned at the polls.
  • Proxy Vote
    Proxy voting means having someone else cast a vote on your behalf.
  • Push polling
    Push polling is a controversial form of negative campaigning in which pseudo opinion polls are used to influence the views and beliefs of voters.
  • Quorum
    A quorum is defined as; the percentage of votes that must be cast for an election or poll to be valid (turnout quorum); or as the percentage of votes that must be cast for a voting option or candidate to win (approval quorum).
  • Re-election
    The term “re-election” refers to an incumbent office holder being elected for a further legislative term.
  • Referendum
    A referendum is a popular vote which expresses the will of the public regarding a particular political issue.
  • Regulated Health Professions Act
    The Canadian Regulated Health Professions Act establishes the regulatory and legal framework for all health professionals in Canada.
  • Regulation
    A regulation is a law issued by an executive body.
  • Regulatory College Council Members
    Council members of regulatory colleges make up the governing body (the Council) of those organizations.
  • Regulatory Colleges
    Regulatory colleges are legal, governing bodies which regulate the practice of a particular profession.
  • Republicanism
    Republicanism is the major political philosophy in the United States.
  • Resolution
    A resolution is a decision an organization makes to take a particular course of action.
  • Royal Colleges
    Royal colleges are regulatory colleges in Commonwealth countries which have had royal patronage and been allowed to use “royal” in the title of their organization.
  • Safe Harbour
    Safe Harbour was a decision made by the EU Commission in order to protect personal data transfer in the US.
  • Sealing the ballot box
    Sealing the ballot box means closing it off so that its contents can’t be tampered with.
  • Single Transferable Vote
    Single transferable vote (STV) is a electoral system in which seats are allocated to candidates in order to achieve proportional representation, and where each candidate is ranked in order of preference by voters.
  • Social Club
    Social clubs are organizations that consist of members that have a common interest.
  • Societas Europaea
    The Societas Europaea (SE) is a joint-stock company with headquarters in a EU member state and operates multiple companies within the EU or EEA.
  • Soft Money
    Soft money is a donation or contribution made to a political party.
  • Split-ticket voting
    Split-ticket voting is a practice whereby individual voters spread their votes across multiple parties during an election.
  • Spoilt Vote
    A spoilt vote is a ballot that has been declared void and will not be included in the vote count.
  • Staff Council
    Staff council is the term for a works councils in public institutions.
  • Straight-ticket voting
    Straight-ticket voting refers to the practice of voters assigning all their votes to candidates of one political party in an election.
  • Supplementary Vote
    The supplementary vote system is a form of preferential voting.
  • Swing States
    Swing states are those in US presidential elections that could potentially be won by either candidate.
  • Tactical Voting
    Tactical voting refers to the practice of voting for a candidate that is not one's favorite in order to prevent a less desirable candidate from winning.
  • The Democratic Party
    The Democratic Party in the US is one of the two major political parties in the country today.
  • The Judiciary
    The judiciary is a country's court system.
  • The Legislature
    Legislatures are countries' or states' primary law-making bodies.
  • The Republican Party
    The Republican Party in the US is one of the two major political parties in the country today.
  • The United States Census
    The US census is a count of the population of the country held every ten years by the United States Census Bureau
  • Trustee Elections
    Trustee elections are undertaken in certain organizations to elect their governing board - the board of trustees.
  • US Congress
    The US Congress is the legislative branch of government in the United States.
  • US Electoral College
    The US electoral college is the body which directly elects the US President and Vice President.
  • US President
    The US President is both the head of state and the head of government.
  • US Senate
    The US Senate is the upper chamber of Congress.
  • US Vice President
    The US Vice President is an important position in the executive branch of federal government.
  • Vote pairing
    Vote pairing refers to informal arrangements between two voters in which they both agree to vote in a certain way.
  • Voter Apathy
    Voter apathy refers to a lack of interest in participating in elections by certain groups of voters.
  • Voter Caging
    Voter caging means casting doubt over the eligibility of individual citizens voting in an election with the goal of preventing them from participating.
  • Voter Education
    Voter education means providing citizens of a democracy with basic information about participating in elections.
  • Voter Fatigue
    Voter fatigue refers to the apathy and disengagement an electorate may feel.
  • Voter Secrecy
    Voter secrecy is a fundamental democratic principle whereby voters are free to anonymously cast their vote in an election or referendum.
  • Voter Suppression
    Voter suppression occurs when a certain group is prevented from voting.
  • Voter Turnout
    Voter turnout shows the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast a vote.
  • Voting Booth
    Voting booths are small, usually enclosed, spaces when voters can secretly cast their vote.
  • Voting district
    A voting district is a geographical area which is represented by a seat or seats in a legislative body.
  • Voting Keypad
    A voting keypad enables group participation in elections or polls using wireless technology.
  • Voting Machine
    Electronic voting machines are specialized devices used in polling stations.
  • Voting Power
    Voting power is a business term referring to the distribution of voting rights between shareholders of a company.
  • Voting Proxy Form
    Filling out a voting proxy form is necessary in order to be able to have someone vote on your behalf.
  • Voting reminder
    A voting reminder is a message sent to a voter in an election or poll which reminds them that the vote is taking place and how they can participate.
  • Web 2.0
    The term Web 2.0 describes a dynamic interaction- and communication model in the internet
  • Webster-Method
    The Webster or Sainte-Laguë/Schepers method is used to calculate the allocation of seats in an election.
  • Works Council
    An elected body of people who represent employees to their employers
  • Write-in Candidate
    Write-in candidates are candidates whose names do not appear on the ballot but are filled in regardless.