by election

/ˈbaɪ ɪˌlɛkʃən/
noun
  1. An election held to fill a vacant seat in a legislative body (such as a parliament or congress) between regular general elections.
    • Voter turnout in the by-election was surprisingly high for a mid-year vote.
    • The MP resigned, so a by-election was called to choose a replacement.
    • The ruling party lost the by-election, which signaled a shift in public opinion.
What does "by election" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean