Election speak 2008: words and phrases to know to help you follow the election: definitions to help you understand what the politicians and pundits are really talking about.

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When does a president become a lame duck? What makes your state red, blue, or purple? As November approaches, you're going to be encountering all sorts of political jargon on TV, online and in magazines and newspapers. To help you figure out what everyone is really saying, here's a glossary of terms to get you through Election Day.

(From the Sept. 1, 2008, issue of The New York Times Upfront)

BATTLEGROUND STATES: The 10 or 15 states that are up for grabs by either candidate; they're also known as swing, or purple (as opposed to red or blue) states. Battleground states with significant numbers of electoral votes can expect to see a lot of Obama and McCain (and their ads) this fall.

BLUE-COLLAR/WHITE-COLLAR: It's all about the shirts. Blue-collar workers, traditionally in blue workshirts, tend to be hourly wage earners in factories or performing some type of manual labor. White-collar workers, traditionally in white dress shirts, tend to be salaried and work in offices. The two groups often diverge on issues in especially social and economic issues and the trick for candidates is to appeal to both, without angering either.

ELECTORAL VOTE: Technically, the next president will be elected not by the popular vote (the total votes nationwide), but by the electoral vote. In the Electoral College system written into the Constitution by the Founding Fathers, each state has the same number of electoral votes as it has representatives in both houses of Congress. (Missouri, for example, with nine Representatives and, like every state, two Senators, has 11 electoral votes.) A candidate must receive at least a majority (270) of the 538 possible electoral votes to win the White House. In most elections, the electoral-vote winner has also won the popular vote. The last exception was 2000, when AI Gore won the popular vote, but George W. Bush won the electoral vote, and the presidency.

527s: Tax-exempt groups (named after Section 527 of the federal tax code) that work for the election or defeat of various candidates. Because 527s don't contribute directly to the campaigns of individual candidates, they're not subject to the same contribution limits as individuals or PACs (see PACs). Examples of 527s include Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (see Swift-boating) and MoveOn.org.

LAME DUCK: An elected official who's not running for re-election and sees his or her power and influence waning as attention turns to possible successors. For...