Terms starting with "V"

Voting Rights The Voting Rights Act of 1965 protects citizens from state or local voting rules that deny or abridge their right to vote on account of race or color. The Act defines voting to include registration, casting a ballot, and having the ballot properly counted. In Louisiana v. Callais (April 29, 2026), the Supreme Court significantly narrowed the circumstances in which a racial vote-dilution challenge to a redistricting map can be brought under Section 2, holding that a violation is shown only when the evidence supports a strong inference that the State intentionally drew its districts to afford minority voters less opportunity because of their race. Voter Registration Voter registration is the process of applying to state election officials to be added to the official list of registered voters. For federal elections, the National Voter Registration Act requires states subject to it to offer registration through motor-vehicle agencies, by mail, and at designated public offices. Voter Roll A voter roll is the official list of people registered to vote in a jurisdiction. Election officials maintain it by adding eligible registrants and updating records; federal and state rules govern how records are removed. Voter Turnout Voter turnout is the percentage of a defined eligible-voter population that voted in an election. In the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey measure, the eligible population is citizens age 18 or older, and turnout is the share of that citizen voting-age population who indicated they voted. Vice President The Vice President serves as President of the Senate. The Vice President has no vote there unless the senators are equally divided. Voice Vote A voice vote is a voting method in which members call out “aye” or “no,” and the presiding officer judges which side has prevailed. It is often used for measures that are not expected to require a recorded vote. The result does not ordinarily show how each individual member voted. Voir Dire Voir dire is the process of questioning prospective jurors to identify bias, conflicts, or other reasons they may not be able to serve fairly in a particular case. The judge and, depending on the court's rules, the lawyers may ask questions before jurors are selected. The process helps the court assemble an impartial jury. Vote Threshold A vote threshold is the number or share of votes required for an action to pass. Most congressional business needs only a simple majority, but the Constitution and chamber rules set higher thresholds for particular actions: two-thirds of both houses to override a presidential veto, two-thirds of Senators present for treaty ratification and impeachment convictions, two-thirds of both houses (plus three-fourths of states) to propose and ratify constitutional amendments, and three-fifths of the Senate (normally 60 votes) to invoke cloture and end a filibuster. Voter A voter is a person eligible to cast a ballot in a particular election. For U.S. federal elections, voters must be U.S. citizens and at least 18; rules for state and local elections can differ. In every state except North Dakota, voters must register for federal elections, and election officials assess eligibility through registration processes and checks related to receiving or casting a ballot. Voter ID Law A voter ID law sets what identification, if any, voters must present to receive a ballot in a particular jurisdiction. Where identification is required, it may need to include a photo; depending on the rules, voters without acceptable ID may have an affidavit or provisional-ballot option. Vacant Seat A vacant seat is an elected legislative position that has no current officeholder. A vacancy can occur because an officeholder dies, resigns, is removed, or leaves office for another reason. The process for filling it depends on the office and the applicable federal or state law. Vacated Vacated means a court has set aside a previous judgment or order so it no longer has legal effect.