general election

American  

noun

1. U.S. Politics.

   1. a regularly scheduled local, state, or national election in which voters elect officeholders.

   2. a state or national election, as opposed to a local election.

2. British. an election, which must be held at any time within five years of the last election, in which constituents elect members of the House of Commons.

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general election British  

noun

1. an election in which representatives are chosen in all constituencies of a state

2. a final election from which successful candidates are sent to a legislative body Compare primary

3. (in the US) a national or state election or (in Canada) a federal or provincial election in contrast to a local election

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Etymology

Origin of general election

An Americanism dating back to 1710–20

Example Sentences

"I'm incredibly honored that voters have given us the opportunity to advance to the general election for Mayor of Los Angeles," Raman said in a statement posted on X.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

What questions do you have about the California primaries–the candidates, the process and what the results will mean for the general election in November?

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Sunday's vote was the first general election since Armenia, a small South Caucasus country of three million people, suffered a crushing military defeat by Azerbaijan in 2023.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Had that not happened, Murphy would have made it to the general election without having to defend his spot on the ballot.

From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026

Senate race and was locked in what would become a tight race in the general election.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama