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  1. Home
  2. ›Definitions
  3. ›Elections and the Race
  4. ›General election

Elections and the Race

General election

November contest that fills the federal office.

What this means

The general election is the final popular vote contest for the office in that cycle. Archive maps and many certified result tables center on general-election outcomes.

Related

  • Primary election

    Party (or top-two) contest that precedes the general election.

  • Electoral vote

    State allocation that formally elects the President.

All definitions · Methodology