Voting Glossary

Vote for Human Rights: Human Rights Watch and Student Task Force are nonpartisan. Which means we will NOT be telling people who to vote for or how to vote on issues on the ballot. Instead, we’ll be working with voters to look at how propositions on the ballot and those running for office talk about human rights related issues such as climate change, reproductive health, immigration or access to housing. (STF)

Absentee/Mail-in Voting: Absentee/mail-in voting is voting that does not happen in person on Election Day but instead occurs another way (generally by mail). All states allow for some form of absentee/mail-in balloting. Some states require voters to provide a valid excuse to vote absentee/by mail, while others allow any eligible voter to cast an absentee/mail-in ballot. (Ballotpedia)

Ballot: The official presentation of all of the contests to be decided in a particular election. Either in paper or electronic format, the mechanism for voters to show their voter preferences. (US Elections Assistance Commission)

Bipartisan: Relating to or involving members of two political parties. In a two-party system, like in the United States, bipartisan typically refers to any bill, act, resolution or any other action of a political body in which both of the major political parties, Republicans and Democrats, are in agreement. (Ballotpedia)

Electoral College: A body of people representing the states of the U.S., who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president. (US Elections Assistance Commission)

Eligible to Vote: You are eligible to vote in U.S. federal, state, and local elections if you are a U.S. citizen, meet your state’s residency requirements, be at least 18-years-old on Election Day and are registered to vote by your state’s voter registration deadline. (USA.gov)

National Popular Vote: The National Popular Vote Plan (NPV) refers to the concept of allocating a state’s presidential electors to the candidate who wins the national popular vote regardless of the state results in a presidential election. (Ballotpedia)

Nonpartisan: Not affiliated with a political party. (US Elections Assistance Commission)

Proposition: A proposal to enact a new law or constitutional amendment that is placed on the ballot for approval or rejection by voters. (US Elections Assistance Commission)

Registration and Pre-Registration: A term used by election officials when referring to a voter’s record. You can register to vote at 18-years-old. Some states allow people as young as 16-years-old to pre-register to vote, but they cannot cast a ballot until they turn 18. (US Elections Assistance Commission)

Right to Vote: The right to take part in the conduct of public affairs, including the right to vote and to stand for election, is at the core of democratic governments based on the will of the people. Genuine elections are a necessary and fundamental component of an environment that protects and promotes human rights. The right to vote and be elected in genuine, periodic elections is intrinsically linked to a number of other human rights, the enjoyment of which is crucial to a meaningful electoral process. (OHCHR)

Swing State/Voter: A state or individual who is not a firm supporter of any political party, and whose vote in an election is difficult to predict. (US Elections Assistance Commission)

Voter Suppression: Any attempt to prevent or discourage certain Americans from registering to vote or casting their ballot. These measures often target specific groups based on race, ethnicity, political affiliation, age, or other aspects of voters’ identities. The most widely used forms of voter suppression include discriminatory voter ID and proof-of-citizenship restrictions, reduced polling place hours in communities of color, the elimination of early voting opportunities, and illegal purges of voters from the rolls. (League of Women Voters)