What is a Ciddie? How does that work?

What are elections? Who is elected for what? What's up with the "parties?" What the heck do they do?!

I know absolutely diddly-squat about these two topics. If there's a place I can get filled in, or if someone could tell me essentially everything there is to know about this stuff, I would be eternally grateful.

As it is, I am hopelessly confused.