General election (U.S.)
Encyclopedia
In election law
within the United States
, a general election is an election
held pursuant to a periodic schedule, in which a candidate for the office that the election concerns will become the scheduled successor to that office, if that candidate receives the majority of votes cast. In most jurisdictions, a candidate receiving a general-election plurality would also succeed to that office in the absence of a majority, but in others, at least for some offices when no candidate achieves a majority, the two top candidates in a general election become candidates in a further election, usually called a runoff election
, which decides the successor.
The term "general election" is used principally to distinguish that election from one or more primary election
s regarding the same office, that may be held prior to that general election: one such "primary" can occur corresponding to each eligible political party that has more than one legally qualified candidate seeking to appear on the general election ballot as the party's candidate for the office.
The term also distinguishes "the general" from a special election
, held in some jurisdictions and circumstances to fill an office that became vacant prior to the end of the corresponding term.
Election law
Election law is a discipline falling at the juncture of constitutional law and political science. It researches "the politics of law and the law of politics"...
within the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a general election is an election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
held pursuant to a periodic schedule, in which a candidate for the office that the election concerns will become the scheduled successor to that office, if that candidate receives the majority of votes cast. In most jurisdictions, a candidate receiving a general-election plurality would also succeed to that office in the absence of a majority, but in others, at least for some offices when no candidate achieves a majority, the two top candidates in a general election become candidates in a further election, usually called a runoff election
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
, which decides the successor.
The term "general election" is used principally to distinguish that election from one or more primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s regarding the same office, that may be held prior to that general election: one such "primary" can occur corresponding to each eligible political party that has more than one legally qualified candidate seeking to appear on the general election ballot as the party's candidate for the office.
The term also distinguishes "the general" from a special election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, held in some jurisdictions and circumstances to fill an office that became vacant prior to the end of the corresponding term.