Plain-language definitions of terms you may see on your ballot or on this site. This page explains how the process works — it never tells you how to vote.
An election where each political party chooses its nominee for a later general election. In many states, including Tennessee, a primary is open: you don’t register by party, but you may vote in only one party’s primary in a given election. Nonpartisan races on the same ballot are open to every voter.
The final election that decides who holds an office. Candidates from every party (plus independents) appear together, and every registered voter may vote on every race they’re eligible for.
A follow-up election held when no candidate reaches the required share of the vote (often a majority) in the first round. The top finishers face each other again.
A contest where candidates run without a party label — common for judges, school boards, and many municipal offices. Every voter may vote in these regardless of which party’s primary they choose.
A period before Election Day when you can cast your ballot in person at designated locations. Hours and sites are set by your county election office and may differ from your Election-Day polling place.
The smallest unit of election geography — the specific area whose voters are assigned to one polling place. Your precinct determines exactly which contests appear on your ballot.
The geographic area an office represents — a U.S. House district, a state legislative district, a county-commission district, a school-board zone, and so on. You vote only in the districts your address falls inside, which is why two neighbors’ ballots can differ.
The physical location where the voters of a precinct cast ballots in person. Confirm yours with your county election office before you go — locations can change between elections.
An official preview of the exact ballot you’ll see, published by your election office. It’s the authoritative record of what’s on your ballot; this site links to it where available so you can compare.
A yes/no vote on whether a sitting judge should stay in office for another term. There is no opposing candidate — you vote to retain (keep) or replace (remove) the judge. If replaced, the seat is filled through the normal appointment or election process.
Courts that review decisions made by trial courts. In Tennessee, the Court of Appeals hears civil cases and the Court of Criminal Appeals hears criminal cases; both sit above trial courts and below the state Supreme Court. Their judges often appear on the ballot as retention questions.
A label for which of the three staggered groups a U.S. Senate seat belongs to. Every two years, one class (about a third of the Senate) is up for election. The number is just a scheduling group — it says nothing about the seat’s importance.
The governing body of a political party within a state. Voters in a party’s primary elect its committee members — a “committeeman” and “committeewoman” per district. These are internal party offices, not government offices.
A question put directly to voters — usually to approve or reject a law, tax, bond, or change to a constitution or charter — rather than a choice between candidates. You vote yes/no or for/against.
A proposed change to a local government’s charter — the document that defines how a city or county is structured and governed. It appears as a ballot question for voters in that jurisdiction to approve or reject.
Missing a term? Let us know. Ballot Project is an independent, nonpartisan resource — not an official government site.