General election definition
General elections determine who holds public office, with voters choosing among candidates after parties select nominees in primaries.
A general election is an election in which voters choose who will hold public office; in federal races, general elections pick the president and Congresspeople. Voters pick among candidates from all political parties, along with any independent candidates. It is typically the final step after primaries, in which parties select their nominee.
When is the federal general election?
Federal law sets one Election Day for all federal offices. It falls on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, so the date always lands between November 2 and November 8.
What offices are on the general election ballot?
In presidential elections, which happen every four years, voters cast ballots for president and vice president. Their ballots decide each state's electors, who formally choose the winner through the Electoral College.
Voters also elect members of Congress every two years. All 435 seats in the US House are contested in these elections. About a third of Senate seats are up in each congressional election — senators serve six-year terms, and their elections are staggered.
The federal elections held in the middle of a president's term are called midterm elections.
What is the difference between a primary and a general election?
A primary election comes first. It decides each party's nominee, with voters usually picking among candidates from a single party. Some primaries are closed, meaning only voters registered with that party can take part.
The general election decides who will actually hold an office and is open to all eligible voters, no matter which party they belong to.
Who can vote in a general election?
US citizens who are 18 or older by Election Day can vote in a general election. Most states require voters to register by a deadline and meet residency rules.
Keep exploring
- How do voting laws differ by state? - Voter registration, ability to vote by mail, and ID requirements to vote in-person vary by state.
- How COVID-19 is changing primary voting—and the November election - Some states are extending deadlines and eligibility for mail-in ballots. Such measures may provide insight in how people vote in the November general election.
- Dates to know for the 2024 presidential election - The 2024 presidential election will take place on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Presidential primaries and caucuses are scheduled to begin in January and will run through June.
- How do runoff elections work? - Nine states schedule runoffs for congressional primaries where no one candidate takes a majority, and two have general election runoffs.
