by-election

American  

[bahy-i-lek-shuhn] / ˈbaɪ ɪˌlɛk ʃən /

Or bye-election

noun

1. a special election, not held at the time of a general election, to fill a vacancy in Parliament.

---

by-election British  

noun

1. (in the United Kingdom and other countries of the Commonwealth) an election held during the life of a parliament to fill a vacant seat in the lower chamber

2. (in the US) a special election to fill a vacant elective position with an unexpired term

---

Etymology

Origin of by-election

First recorded in 1875–80; by- + election

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

by-election

The Conservatives have selected former Camden councillor Ewan Cameron as the party's candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election on 8 October.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Labour has held the inner London seat since it was created in 1983 and the party's candidate for the by-election is Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Richard Martel, the former Conservative MP of the Quebec constituency that held Monday's by-election, stepped down last month after he was appointed by Carney to Canada's Senate.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

A date will not be set for the by-election until Sir Keir formally resigns his Commons seat.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

The jury wish to add a rider drawing attention to the fact that a by-election is pending in the Parliamentary division of Nemesis-on-Hand.”

From The Toys of Peace, and other papers by Saki