Here are some style tips from The Associated Press to keep in mind on election night:
- Election Day, election night: The first term is capitalized, the second is lowercase.
- popular vote is lowercase.
- grass-roots is hyphenated.
- Congress, congressional: Capitalize when referring to the U.S. Senate and House together. The adjective is lowercase unless part of a formal name.
- front-runner is hyphenated.
- president, vice president: Only capitalize these titles before names.
- re-elect, re-election: Both are hyphenated.
- tea party: Lowercase the populist movement that opposes the Washington political establishment. Adherents are tea partyers. Formally named groups in the movement are capitalized: Tea Party Express.
- majority leader, minority leader: Capitalize as formal legislative title before a name: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, otherwise lowercase.
- primary, primary day: Both are lowercase, including when used with a state: New Hampshire primary.