elections
Voters pick leaders
Elections are formal processes by which people vote to choose leaders or decide issues.
The word typically appears in plural because voting happens across multiple offices, districts, or cycles: midterm elections, local elections, presidential elections.
An election can also refer to a single contest: She won the election by twelve points.
The verb elect means to choose by voting, and by extension, to choose generally: He elected to stay home.
Person seeking selection
- rallyGathering for a cause
- debateFormal argument on issues
- platformRaised flat structure
- endorsementFormal expression of support
fundraising · canvassing · stump · advertising · slogan · nominee · volunteer · headquarters
Voting document
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
- turnoutNumber attending an event
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
- franchiseLicensed business operation
precinct · booth · absentee · mail-in · casting · polls · enfranchisement · disenfranchised
Direct vote on legislation
- plebisciteDirect vote by citizens
- primaryChief in importance
- caucusParty selection meeting
- generalWidespread, not specialized
midterm · runoff · recall · initiative · proposition · first-past-the-post · proportional · ranked-choice
Temporary alliance for action
- oppositionActive resistance or dissent
- incumbentCurrent position holder
- third-partyExternal, uninvolved entity
- independentFree from external control
bipartisan · partisan · ticket · caucus · faction · splinter · endorsement · defection
State with elected leaders
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- representationDepiction or likeness
- participationAct of taking part
- rightsJustified claims to freedoms
liberty · pluralism · legitimacy · sovereignty · self-determination · mandate · accountability · transparency
One who prevails
- loserDefeated competitor
- landslideMass of earth falling
- marginEdge of a page
- runoffExcess water drainage
recount · concession · upset · projection · returns · mandate · majority · plurality
Elected leader of nation
- senatorUpper chamber member
- governorState's chief executive
- mayorElected head of municipality
- councillorElected local representative
representative · legislator · MP · MEP · alderman · commissioner · sheriff · judge
candidate
Person seeking selection
endorsement · fundraising · canvassing · stump · advertising · slogan · nominee · volunteer · headquarters · donation
ballot
Voting document
franchise · precinct · booth · absentee · mail-in · casting · polls · enfranchisement · disenfranchised · abstain
referendum
Direct vote on legislation
- plebisciteDirect vote by citizens
- primaryChief in importance
- caucusParty selection meeting
general · midterm · runoff · recall · initiative · proposition · first-past-the-post · proportional · ranked-choice · gerrymandering
coalition
Temporary alliance for action
- oppositionActive resistance or dissent
- incumbentCurrent position holder
- third-partyExternal, uninvolved entity
independent · bipartisan · partisan · ticket · caucus · faction · splinter · endorsement · defection · crossover
republic
State with elected leaders
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- representationDepiction or likeness
- participationAct of taking part
rights · liberty · pluralism · legitimacy · sovereignty · self-determination · mandate · accountability · transparency · consent
winner
One who prevails
runoff · recount · concession · upset · projection · returns · mandate · majority · plurality · contested
president
Elected leader of nation
councillor · representative · legislator · MP · MEP · alderman · commissioner · sheriff · judge · comptroller
- democracyvote, voting, ballot, ballots, voters
- politicsdemocracy, campaigning, campaigns, democrats, bill
- civic lifevoting, civic engagement, civic responsibility, civic education, civic leader
- local communityneighbor, resident, local news, town hall, city council
- student governmentstudent council, student government, student senate, class president, treasurer
- guild meetingroll call, minutes, bylaws, oath taking, initiation
electionsappointments
Scheduled times for meetings
hereditary succession · anointment · seizure of power · installation · conscription
electionsdisenfranchisement
Removal of voting rights
tyranny · authoritarianism · totalitarianism · despotism · dictatorship
electionsdivine right
God-granted ruling authority
birthright · conquest · fiat · inheritance · decree
- election turnoutProportion who voted
- election interferenceUndermining legitimate ballot processes
- election resultsOfficial vote counts
- presidential electionVote for head of state
- runoff electionsContests after no majority
- election nightWhen winners are announced