special election
Off-cycle ballot
A special election is held outside the regular election cycle to fill a vacancy or decide an urgent issue.
When an officeholder dies, resigns, or is removed, a special election chooses a replacement: The governor called a special election to fill the Senate seat.
Special elections for ballot measures address time-sensitive questions that can't wait for the next general election.
What takes another's place
- successorOne who replaces another
- fill-inTemporary substitute person
- substituteReplacement for another
- interimProvisional in-between phase
appointee · seat · resignation · death · removal · recall · expulsion · disqualification
Provisional in-between phase
- provisionalConditional and possibly temporary
- caretakerOne who maintains property
- transitionalConnecting two phases
- temporaryLimited in duration
acting · pro tem · stopgap · placeholder · continuity · interregnum · lame duck · short-term
Voting document
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
- precinctAdministrative jurisdiction zone
- voter turnoutShare of eligible citizens voting
- candidacyPursuit of office
nomination · campaign · absentee · early voting · runoff · certification · canvass · recount
Depiction or likeness
- constituencyElectoral district's voters
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
- franchiseLicensed business operation
- civic dutyObligation owed to community
democratic process · legitimacy · mandate · accountability · self-governance · popular will · consent of governed
Memory retrieval act
- impeachmentCharging officials with misconduct
- resignationVoluntary relinquishment of position
- death in officeDying while holding position
- criminal convictionLegal determination of guilt
incapacity · scandal · ethics violation · court order · nullification
Sudden sharp sound
- suddenOccurring without prior notice
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- emergencySerious sudden danger
- unforeseenNot predicted or expected
unanticipated · abrupt · mid-term · expedited · accelerated · impromptu · unscheduled · rushed
replacement
What takes another's place
- successorOne who replaces another
- fill-inTemporary substitute person
- substituteReplacement for another
interim · appointee · seat · resignation · death · removal · recall · expulsion · disqualification · forfeiture
interim
Provisional in-between phase
- provisionalConditional and possibly temporary
- caretakerOne who maintains property
- transitionalConnecting two phases
temporary · acting · pro tem · stopgap · placeholder · continuity · interregnum · lame duck · short-term · holding pattern
ballot
Voting document
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
- precinctAdministrative jurisdiction zone
- voter turnoutShare of eligible citizens voting
candidacy · nomination · campaign · absentee · early voting · runoff · certification · canvass · recount · primary
representation
Depiction or likeness
- constituencyElectoral district's voters
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
- franchiseLicensed business operation
civic duty · democratic process · legitimacy · mandate · accountability · self-governance · popular will · consent of governed
recall
Memory retrieval act
- impeachmentCharging officials with misconduct
- resignationVoluntary relinquishment of position
- death in officeDying while holding position
criminal conviction · incapacity · scandal · ethics violation · court order · nullification
snap
Sudden sharp sound
- suddenOccurring without prior notice
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- emergencySerious sudden danger
unforeseen · unanticipated · abrupt · mid-term · expedited · accelerated · impromptu · unscheduled · rushed · fast-tracked
- civicsballot, ballots, Bill of Rights, branches of government, checks and balances
- electionsballot, ballots, voter registration, candidates, polls
- political eventscampaign, debate, vote, rally, inauguration
- Congresssenator, representative, senators, House, bill
- votingballot, vote, voters, ballots, voter
- referendumsreferendum, ballot measure, ballot initiative, proposition, ballot question
special electiongeneral election
Nationwide voting for office
primary election · midterm election · presidential election · election cycle
special, election, specially, specialize, specialized, specialization, specialist, specialty, speciality