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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.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of general election

An Americanism dating back to 1710–20

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

So far, no-one has been held accountable - and general elections are set to take place on 5 March.

From BBC

Another Plan 2 graduate, Chris Hinchliff said the decision to freeze the repayment threshold was a "misstep" and urged the government to "get on and deal with this" before the next general election.

From BBC

MPs on the national security strategy committee say they are concerned that foreign interference could increase up to the next general election.

From BBC

The candidates will now gear up for the June 2 primary election, with the general election set for Nov. 3.

From Los Angeles Times

Under California’s “jungle primary” system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation.

From Los Angeles Times