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.

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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

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Etymology

Origin of by-election

First recorded in 1875–80; by- + election

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

by-election

Reform UK has chosen a former Metropolitan Police detective to contest the Holborn and St Pancras by-election on 8 October.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Who are the candidates in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election?

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali has been selected as Labour's candidate in the by-election for Sir Keir Starmer's former seat.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

Sir Keir announced on Tuesday that he was quitting as MP for the London constituency, two months after he stood down as prime minister, setting up a challenging by-election for his successor Andy Burnham.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

I smiled, though, when the hero was worsted in his by-election.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, April 11, 1917 by Various