Legal Definitions - by-election

A by-election is a special election held to fill a vacant position, usually a public office. It is different from a general election, which occurs at regular intervals of time and involves all seats.

Examples:

• When a member of parliament resigns or dies, a by-election is held to fill the vacant seat.
• A city councilor who moves out of the district may trigger a by-election to fill their seat.

These examples illustrate how a by-election is used to fill a sudden vacancy in a public office. It allows voters to choose a new representative to fill the position until the next general election.