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

See Examples For:

general election

The party's leadership characterise the last two years since the general election as "stage one" when a largely new intake of MPs bedded into their constituencies.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Stephen Fowler for NPR: The 2026 midterm general election season is upon us.

From Slate ● Sep. 10, 2026

But as the general election approaches, both candidates are diminishing the president’s presence in their messaging by varying degrees.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

A dramatic tightening of Sweden's migration policy has sparked concern in a healthcare sector that is ever more dependent on immigrants, professionals warned ahead of a general election on Sunday.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

At this bush meeting we agreed in principle on a five-year government of national unity in which all parties polling over 5 percent in a general election would be proportionally represented in the cabinet.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela