electorate

American  

[ih-lek-ter-it] / ɪˈlɛk tər ɪt /

noun

1. the body of persons entitled to vote in an election.

2. the dignity or territory of an Elector of the Holy Roman Empire.

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electorate British  

/ ɪˈlɛktərɪt /

noun

1. the body of all qualified voters

2. the rank, position, or territory of an elector of the Holy Roman Empire

3. the area represented by a Member of Parliament

4. the voters in a constituency

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Etymology

Origin of electorate

First recorded in 1665–75; elector + -ate ³

Example Sentences

Honduran President Nasry Asfura of the center-right National Party took office in January after the electorate turned out the pro-Cuba Libre Party.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

Without the runoff rematch between Herrera and Gonzales, we won’t learn whether there are limits to how much internet edginess an electorate can handle.

From Slate • Mar. 9, 2026

Only 39, he took up the role with gusto, launching into an anti-crime drive that proved popular with the electorate but not enough to keep his head off the chopping block.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

Zev Yaroslavsky, a former county supervisor and City Council member, does not believe that Raman’s recent history with Bass — endorsing her and later running against her — will be an issue for the electorate.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

After all, one wrong move, and Daines could face bad press, an angry electorate, and then a motivated opponent.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• constituency
• voter