Election

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Election \E*lec"tion\, n. [F. ['e]lection, L. electio, fr.
     eligere to choose out. See {Elect}, a.]
     1. The act of choosing; choice; selection.
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     2. The act of choosing a person to fill an office, or to


        membership in a society, as by ballot, uplifted hands, or
        viva voce; as, the election of a president or a mayor.
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              Corruption in elections is the great enemy of
              freedom.                              --J. Adams.
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     3. Power of choosing; free will; liberty to choose or act.
        "By his own election led to ill." --Daniel.
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     4. Discriminating choice; discernment. [Obs.]
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              To use men with much difference and election is
              good.                                 --Bacon.
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     5. (Theol.) Divine choice; predestination of individuals as
        objects of mercy and salvation; -- one of the "five
        points" of Calvinism.
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              There is a remnant according to the election of
              grace.                                --Rom. xi. 5.
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     6. (Law) The choice, made by a party, of two alternatives, by
        taking one of which, the chooser is excluded from the
        other.
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     7. Those who are elected. [Obs.]
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              The election hath obtained it.        --Rom. xi. 7.
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     {To contest an election}. See under {Contest}.
  
     {To make one's election}, to choose.
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              He has made his election to walk, in the main, in
              the old paths.                        --Fitzed.
                                                    Hall.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  election
       n 1: a vote to select the winner of a position or political
            office; "the results of the election will be announced
            tonight"
       2: the act of selecting someone or something; the exercise of
          deliberate choice; "her election of medicine as a
          profession"
       3: the status or fact of being elected; "they celebrated his
          election"
       4: the predestination of some individuals as objects of divine
          mercy (especially as conceived by Calvinists)

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  89 Moby Thesaurus words for "election":
     Calvinism, accession, alternative, alternativity, anointing,
     anointment, apostolic orders, appointment, arrogation, assignment,
     assumption, authorization, by-election, calling, canonization,
     caucus, choice, choosing, closed primary, co-optation, co-option,
     conferment, congressional election, consecration,
     contested election, coronation, decision, delegation, deputation,
     designation, determinism, direct primary, druthers, electing,
     empowerment, fatalism, first choice, free choice, free will,
     general election, holy orders, induction, installation,
     institution, investiture, legitimate succession, major orders,
     mandatory primary, minor orders, nomination, nonpartisan primary,
     open primary, option, optional primary, ordainment, orders,
     ordination, partisan election, pick, plebiscite,
     political election, poll, predestinarianism, predeterminism,
     preference, preference primary, preferment, preoption,
     presentation, presidential election,
     presidential preference primary, presidential primary, primary,
     primary election, reading in, referendum, runoff, runoff election,
     runoff primary, seizure, selection, succession, taking over,
     the pick, usurpation, volition, vote, voting, will
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  ELECTION. This term, in its most usual acceptation, signifies the choice 
  which several persons collectively make of a person to fill an office or 
  place. In another sense, it means the choice which is made by a person 
  having the right, of selecting one of two alternative contracts or rights. 
  Elections, then, are of men or things. 
       2.-1. Of men. These are either public elections, or elections by 
  companies or corporations. 
       3.-1. Public elections. These should be free and uninfluenced either 
  by hope or fear. They are, therefore, generally made by ballot, except those 
  by persons in their representative capacities, which are viva voce. And to 
  render this freedom as perfect as possible, electors are generally exempted 
  from arrest in all cases, except treason, felony, or breach of the peace, 
  during their attendance on election, and in going to and returning from 
  them. And provisions are made by law, in several states, to prevent the 
  interference or appearance of the military on the election ground. 
       4. One of the cardinal principles on the subject of elections is, that 
  the person who receives a majority or plurality of votes is the person 
  elected. Generally a plurality of the votes of the electors present is 
  sufficient; but in some states a majority of all the votes is required. Each 
  elector has one vote. 
       5.-2. Elections by corporations or companies are made by the members, 
  in such a way its their respective constitutions or charters direct. It is 
  usual in these cases to vote a greater or lesser number of votes in 
  proportion as the voter has a greater or less amount of the stock of the 
  company or corporation, if such corporation or company be a pecuniary 
  institution. And the members are frequently permitted to vote by proxy. See 
  7 John. 287; 9 John. 147; 5 Cowen, 426; 7 Cowen, 153; 8 Cowen, 387; 6 Wend. 
  509; 1 Wend. 98. 
       6.-2. The election of things. 1. In contracts, when a; debtor is 
  obliged, in an alternative obligation, to do one of two things, as to pay 
  one hundred dollars or deliver one hundred bushels of wheat, he has the 
  choice to do the one or the other, until the time of payment; he has not the 
  choice, however, to pay a part in each. Poth. Obl. part 2, c. 3, art. 6, No. 
  247; 11 John. 59. Or, if a man sell or agree to deliver one of two articles, 
  as a horse or an ox, he has the election till the time of delivery; it being 
  a rule that "in case an election be given of two several things, always be, 
  which is the first agent, and which ought to do the first act, shall have 
  the election." Co. Litt. 145, a; 7 John. 465; 2 Bibb, R. 171. On the failure 
  of the person who has the right to make his election in proper time, the 
  right passes to the opposite party. Co. Litt. 145, a; Viner, Abr. Election, 
  B, C; Poth. Obl. No. 247; Bac. Ab. h.t. B; 1 Desaus. 460; Hopk. R. 337. It 
  is a maxim of law, that an election once made and pleaded, the party is 
  concluded, electio semel facta, et placitum testatum, non patitur regressum. 
  Co. Litt. 146; 11 John. 241. 
       7.-2. Courts of equity have adopted the principle, that a person shall 
  not be permitted to claim under any instrument, whether it be a deed or 
  will, without giving full effect to it, in every respect, so far as such 
  person is concerned. This doctrine is called into exercise when a testator 
  gives what does not belong to him, but to some other person, and gives, to 
  that person some estate of his own; by virtue of which gift a condition is 
  implied, either that he shall part with his own estate or shall not take the 
  bounty. 9 Ves. 515; 10 Ves. 609; 13 Ves. 220. In such a case, equity will 
  not allow the first legatee to, insist upon that by which he would deprive 
  another legatee under the same will of the benefit to which he would be 
  entitled, if the first legatee permitted the whole will to operate, and 
  therefore compels him to make his election between his right independent of 
  the will, and the benefit under it. This principle of equity does not give 
  the disappointed legatee the right to detain the thing itself, but gives a 
  right to compensation out of something else. 2 Rop. Leg. 378, c. 23, s. 1. 
  In order to impose upon a party, claiming under a will, the obligation of 
  making an election, the intention of the testator must be expressed, or 
  clearly implied in the will itself, in two respects; first, to dispose of 
  that which is not his own; and, secondly, that the person taking the benefit 
  under the will should, take under the condition of giving effect thereto. 6 
  Dow. P. C. 179; 13 Ves. 174; 15 Ves. 390; 1 Bro. C. C. 492; 3 Bro. C. C. 
  255; 3 P. Wms. 315; 1 Ves. jr. 172, 335; S. C. 2 Ves. jr. 367, 371; 3 Ves. 
  jr. 65; Amb. 433; 3 Bro. P. C. by Toml. 277; 1 B. & Beat. 1; 1 McClel. R. 
  424, 489, 541. See, generally, on this doctrine, Roper's Legacies, c. 23; 
  and the learned notes of Mr. Swanston to the case Dillon v. Parker, 1 
  Swanst. R. 394, 408; Com. Dig. Appendix, tit. Election; 3 Desaus. R. 504; 8 
  Leigh, R. 389; Jacob, R. 505; 1 Clark & Fin. 303; 1 Sim. R. 105; 13 Price, 
  R. 607; 1 McClel. R. 439; 1 Y. & C. 66; 2 Story, Eq. Jur. Sec. 1075 to 1135; 
  Domat, Lois Civ. liv. 4, tit. 2, Sec. 3, art. 3, 4, 5; Poth. Pand. lib. 30, 
  t. 1, n. 125; Inst. 2, 20, 4; Dig. 30, 1, 89, 7. 
       8. There are many other cases where a party may be compelled to make an 
  election, which it does not fall within the plan of this work to consider. 
  The reader will easily inform himself by examining the works above referred 
  to. 
       9.-3. The law frequently gives several forms of action to the injured 
  party, to enable him to recover his rights. To make a proper election of the 
  proper remedy is of great importance. To enable the practitioner to make the 
  best election, Mr. Chitty, in his valuable Treatise on Pleadings, p. 207, et 
  seq., has very ably examined the subject, and given rules for forming a 
  correct judgment; as his work is in the hands of every member of the 
  profession, a reference to it here is all that is deemed necessary to say on 
  this subject. See also, Hammond on Parties to Actions; Brown's Practical 
  Treatise on Actions at Law, in the 45th vol. of the Law Library; U. S. Dig. 
  Actions IV.