A general election is an election held to fill all or most of a political body's elected posts. General elections typically take place at regular intervals. For example, due to 2 U.S.C. §7, a general election for delegates and representatives to the United States Congress is held on as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November during even-numbered years.
Any election that happens between general elections is known as a special election. Special elections take place for a variety of reasons, typically involving a recent vacancy, and usually fill far fewer positions than general elections.
[Last updated in January of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team]