Political vocabulary & government processes · Article 20 of 20 · United States
General election
The public decision about who will hold office.
What the term means
A general election selects officeholders from eligible candidates under applicable federal and state rules. Results depend on the office: the presidency uses the Electoral College, while congressional elections use different electoral mechanisms.
How it works in practice
Election administration is decentralized. State and local officials handle many procedures, subject to constitutional and federal statutory requirements. Certification and recount rules vary by jurisdiction.
A concrete example
A voter may select a representative, senator and presidential electors on the same ballot, but the legal method of determining each winner is different.
What to examine next
Use official election offices for registration, results and certification; distinguish unofficial election-night totals from certified outcomes.
Understanding the connection
Return to the complete collection to review the process from the beginning.