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Name :   Doug Jones
Organization :   N/A
Post Date :   9/27/2005

Glossary Comments
Glossary Term :  Contest
Definition :  
Comment :  In response to your request for comments on the draft glossary of voting system terminology, I offer the following, picking up with the letter C, having completed A and B in my previous batch of comments. As before, in each case, I am quoting the original and then offering an alternative definition.

Contest: Decision to be made within an election, which may be a race for office or a referendum, propositions and/or questions. A single ballot may contain one or more contests.  

Contest: Decision to be made within an election, which may be a race for office or a referendum, propositions and/or questions. A single ballot may contain one or more contests, as determined by the ballot configuration.  

-- Comment: This definition makes it clear that the term contest refers both to races for office and referenda. Therefore, the definition of Ballot Configuration need not say "combination of contests, ballot measures or both"!