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

However, these positions are not necessarily included in the party's general election manifestos.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

He lost the Democratic primary to Zohran Mamdani before continuing his campaign as an independent candidate in the general election.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

The next general election was scheduled to take place by August 2027.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

Polls have closed in Brazil's general election, after voters queued in long lines for a tight first round of the presidential race.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

The white general election of 1948 matched the ruling United Party, led by General Smuts, then at the height of his international regard, against the revived National Party.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela