One week before the presidential election, the Associated Press has a topical guide devoted to election terms and idioms.
Here are a few examples, including alt-right, a new addition:
conservative
Lowercase in referring to a political philosophy.
democratic socialism
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ self-described political leaning, akin to European democratic socialism.
alt-right
A radical off-shoot of mainstream conservatism associated with efforts to preserve “white identity,” oppose multiculturalism and defend “Western values.”
Election Day, election night
The first term is capitalized, the second is lowercase for the November national elections in the United States.
first lady
Not an official title, always lowercase. Should the individual hold or have held an official title of high office, that title takes precedence: former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
first gentleman
Not an official title, always lowercase. Should the individual hold or have held an official title of high office, that title takes precedence: former President Bill Clinton.
head to the polls
Avoid. Such a phrase does not account for the as much as 40 percent of the electorate that will cast a ballot before Election Day.
Correction: An earlier version of this story left the r off the word phrase from the AP’s description of the term “Head to the polls.” Heading to the polls is not a phase, it’s a phrase, and it has been corrected. We apologize for the error.
