Direct electionVoting for candidates by the public Part of the Politics seriesElections Basic type By-election Corporate Direct / Indirect Fixed-term Free and fair General Local Mid-term Plurality Primary Partisan Nonpartisan Proportional Recall Retention Sham Snap Sortition Two-round system Unfair Terminology Anonymous elector Apportionment Audits Competition Electoral boundary delimitation Crossover voting Electoral college Election law Election silence Gerrymandering Initiative Psephology Secret ballot Suffrage Right to stand for election Subseries Administration Political party Voting Electoral systems Lists Elections by country Close elections Most recent Next general elections National and local elections in 2026 Related Election security Electoral fraud Referendum (by country) Electoral reform Election science Paper candidate Politics portalvte Direct election is a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the persons or political party that they want to see elected.
Electoral systemAn electoral system is a set of rules and mechanisms used to determine the results of an election. Electoral systems are used in politics to elect governments and also in non-political settings such as business, nonprofit organizations and informal organisations.
Head of statePublic persona of a sovereign stateA head of state is the highest ranking official in a sovereign state. They may also be the head of government, or they may merely perform ceremonial duties. A head of state can be a monarch (a king or a prince) or a president. In a parliamentary system, such as India or the United Kingdom, the head of state usually has mostly ceremonial powers, with a separate head of government.
Prime ministerA prime minister, also known as a chief of cabinet, chief minister, first minister, minister-president or premier, is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but rather the head of government, serving as the chief of the executive under either a monarch or a president in a republican form of government.Head of governmentThe head of government serves as the highest official in the executive branch of a state. The head of government usually handles the day to day affairs of the state, and leads the ministers who control the government. In many democratic systems the head of state is also the head of government. In non democratic systems the head of government is usually established via military intervention.
President (government title)Five American presidents in the White House in 2009(Left to right: George H. W. Bush, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter)President is a common title for the head of state in most republics. The role of a president can vary depending on the country, with some serving as the head of government, a ceremonial figurehead, or some other distinction. The functions exercised by a president vary according to the form of government.CandidateA candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group or election to an office, in which case a candidate selection occurs. "Nomination" is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to an office by a political party, or the bestowing of an honor or award.
Upper houseAn upper house is one of two chambers of a bicamerallegislature, the other chamber being the lower house. The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted power than the lower house. A legislature composed of only one house (and which therefore has neither an upper house nor a lower house) is described as unicameral.
ElectionAn election is a group decision-making process whereby a portion or all of a population or group votes to choose an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office or other position of responsibility. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which representative democracy has operated since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the executive and judiciary, and for regional and local government, such as cities or towns.Cabinet (government)A cabinet in governing is a group of people with the constitutional or legal task to rule a country or state, or advise a head of state, usually from the executive branch. Their members are known as ministers and secretaries and they are often appointed by either heads of state or government.Executive (government)The executive is the part of the government that executes or enforces the law and policy of a government. It is typically organized as a branch of government, though in other systems of government like absolute monarchies the executive serves as the organ of a unified state apparatus centered on a singular constitutional authority (ie, the monarch).
International parliamentAn international parliament or world parliament or supranational legislature is a theoretical or hypothetical concept that envisions a legislative body with representatives from different countries or sovereign entities, similar to a parliament but at international level for global governance, thus establishing a world government.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.