Executive Legislative Judicial Executive

Electoral College: In U.S. presidential 

elections, the Electoral College is the 

group of electors who actually cast bal-

lots for the President. When a voter casts 

a ballot for a presidential candidate, he or 

she is actually voting for a slate of electors 

from their state who will cast their ballots 

for their candidate.

Excise tax: A tax on the production or 

sale of specifi c products. In the United 

States, excise taxes are commonly levied 

at the federal, state, and local levels on 

products such as alcohol and tobacco.

Glossary

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Markup: An activity of committees and 

subcommittees in the U.S. Congress in 

which proposed legislation is considered 

section by section, debated, revised and/

or amended.

Parliamentarian: In the U.S. Congress, 

the offi cial who, being an expert on House 

or Senate rules and procedures, assists 

the offi cers in legislative procedures, in-

cluding the assignment of bills to appro-

priate committees.

Primary: An election held among candi-

dates of the same party to decide which 

one will represent the party in the general 

election.