1.8 Elections

Election is simply a choice. To elect means “to choose or make a decision”.

• An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated since the 18/19th century (e.g. USA). Elections may fill offices in the legislature, in the executive and judiciary, and for regional and local government.

• Sometimes other forms of voting such as referendums are referred to as elections, especially in the United States.