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  • US 'general election'?

    From Crash@3:770/3 to All on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 19:27:55
    I am curious at the use of the term 'general election' to refer to the
    upcoming election of their President. If I recall correctly the US
    has no 'general election'. The Federal Government (being the
    President, the senate and the House of Representatives) is for 4 year
    terms - every four years for President but every two years for half
    each of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    In comparison we (along with most Parliamentary Democracies IIRC) have
    a single (general) election for all MPs every 3 years.

    So where does the term 'general election' referring to US federal
    elections come from?


    --
    Crash McBash

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  • From Rich80105@3:770/3 to All on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 22:58:46
    On Tue, 17 May 2016 19:27:55 +1200, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid>
    wrote:

    I am curious at the use of the term 'general election' to refer to the >upcoming election of their President. If I recall correctly the US
    has no 'general election'. The Federal Government (being the
    President, the senate and the House of Representatives) is for 4 year
    terms - every four years for President but every two years for half
    each of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    In comparison we (along with most Parliamentary Democracies IIRC) have
    a single (general) election for all MPs every 3 years.

    So where does the term 'general election' referring to US federal
    elections come from?

    Where did you hear the term used in that way, Crash. I prefer "current
    election cycle", relating to the selection processes for President -
    but just 'US elections" is I would have thought more common than using
    the word "general"

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  • From Euall B. Tode@3:770/3 to Crash on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 21:17:38
    Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> wrote:

    I am curious at the use of the term 'general election' to refer to the upcoming election of their President. If I recall correctly the US
    has no 'general election'.

    On November 8, 2016, US citizens will be electing not only their
    President but also the entire House of Representatives, one third of the Senate, Governors of 12* states, and Mayors of many cities. That is the
    sense in which I have heard November 8 called a 'general election'.

    * Normally it would have been Governors of 11 states this year, but an
    election is also being held in Oregon after the resignation of John
    Kitzhaber as Governor.

    So where does the term 'general election' referring to US federal
    elections come from?

    Try Wikipedia
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_election#United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election#Comparison_with_other_U.S._general_elections

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  • From Gordon@3:770/3 to rich80105@hotmail.com on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 05:53:02
    On 2016-05-17, Rich80105 <rich80105@hotmail.com> wrote:
    On Tue, 17 May 2016 19:27:55 +1200, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid>
    wrote:

    I am curious at the use of the term 'general election' to refer to the >>upcoming election of their President. If I recall correctly the US
    has no 'general election'. The Federal Government (being the
    President, the senate and the House of Representatives) is for 4 year
    terms - every four years for President but every two years for half
    each of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    In comparison we (along with most Parliamentary Democracies IIRC) have
    a single (general) election for all MPs every 3 years.

    So where does the term 'general election' referring to US federal
    elections come from?

    Where did you hear the term used in that way, Crash. I prefer "current election cycle", relating to the selection processes for President -
    but just 'US elections" is I would have thought more common than using
    the word "general"

    General, in this case means that one and all will be able to vote for the President. Presidential electon(s) is what they have been called in the
    past.

    Sort of like a General strike where everyone gives two figures to the Governments policy. General wide ranging, covering all points.

    Oz has a two level Government so what do we call the election which will get them a Prime Minister.

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  • From Rich80105@3:770/3 to Gordon on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 18:11:05
    On 18 May 2016 05:53:02 GMT, Gordon <Gordon@clear.net.nz> wrote:

    On 2016-05-17, Rich80105 <rich80105@hotmail.com> wrote:
    On Tue, 17 May 2016 19:27:55 +1200, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid>
    wrote:

    I am curious at the use of the term 'general election' to refer to the >>>upcoming election of their President. If I recall correctly the US
    has no 'general election'. The Federal Government (being the
    President, the senate and the House of Representatives) is for 4 year >>>terms - every four years for President but every two years for half
    each of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    In comparison we (along with most Parliamentary Democracies IIRC) have
    a single (general) election for all MPs every 3 years.

    So where does the term 'general election' referring to US federal >>>elections come from?

    Where did you hear the term used in that way, Crash. I prefer "current
    election cycle", relating to the selection processes for President -
    but just 'US elections" is I would have thought more common than using
    the word "general"

    General, in this case means that one and all will be able to vote for the >President. Presidential electon(s) is what they have been called in the
    past.

    Sort of like a General strike where everyone gives two figures to the >Governments policy. General wide ranging, covering all points.

    Oz has a two level Government so what do we call the election which will get >them a Prime Minister.

    That would be a Federal election (as distinct from a State, or
    City/local election) - often referred to as a three tier system. They
    also have separate house and senate elections both for federal and
    some state elections. Jargon can differ around the world.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: Agency HUB, Dunedin - New Zealand | Fido<>Usenet Gateway (3:770/3)
  • From Crash@3:770/3 to All on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 21:32:21
    On Tue, 17 May 2016 22:58:46 +1200, Rich80105<rich80105@hotmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Tue, 17 May 2016 19:27:55 +1200, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid>
    wrote:

    I am curious at the use of the term 'general election' to refer to the >>upcoming election of their President. If I recall correctly the US
    has no 'general election'. The Federal Government (being the
    President, the senate and the House of Representatives) is for 4 year
    terms - every four years for President but every two years for half
    each of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    In comparison we (along with most Parliamentary Democracies IIRC) have
    a single (general) election for all MPs every 3 years.

    So where does the term 'general election' referring to US federal
    elections come from?

    Where did you hear the term used in that way, Crash.

    TV news and the DomPost.

    I prefer "current
    election cycle", relating to the selection processes for President -
    but just 'US elections" is I would have thought more common than using
    the word "general"

    I agree.


    --
    Crash McBash

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: Agency HUB, Dunedin - New Zealand | Fido<>Usenet Gateway (3:770/3)
  • From victor@3:770/3 to Crash on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 23:24:13
    On 17/05/2016 7:27 p.m., Crash wrote:
    I am curious at the use of the term 'general election' to refer to the upcoming election of their President. If I recall correctly the US
    has no 'general election'. The Federal Government (being the
    President, the senate and the House of Representatives) is for 4 year
    terms - every four years for President but every two years for half
    each of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    In comparison we (along with most Parliamentary Democracies IIRC) have
    a single (general) election for all MPs every 3 years.

    So where does the term 'general election' referring to US federal
    elections come from?


    --
    Crash McBash


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_election#United_States

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: Agency HUB, Dunedin - New Zealand | Fido<>Usenet Gateway (3:770/3)
  • From Crash@3:770/3 to victor on Thursday, May 19, 2016 20:19:13
    On Wed, 18 May 2016 23:24:13 +1200, victor <user1@example.net> wrote:

    On 17/05/2016 7:27 p.m., Crash wrote:
    I am curious at the use of the term 'general election' to refer to the
    upcoming election of their President. If I recall correctly the US
    has no 'general election'. The Federal Government (being the
    President, the senate and the House of Representatives) is for 4 year
    terms - every four years for President but every two years for half
    each of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    In comparison we (along with most Parliamentary Democracies IIRC) have
    a single (general) election for all MPs every 3 years.

    So where does the term 'general election' referring to US federal
    elections come from?


    --
    Crash McBash


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_election#United_States

    Thanks Victor. Interestingly when I lived in the US for 4 years I
    don't ever recall hearing any reference to a 'General Election'. This
    was in the pre-internet period so my media exposure was newspapers and
    TV news, both daily. Perhaps that is a recent (21st century?)
    development.


    --
    Crash McBash

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