I. e ‧ lect 1 S3 W3 /ɪˈlekt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive usually passive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ election , ↑ re-election , ↑ elector , ↑ electorate , ↑ electioneering ; adjective : elected ≠ ↑ unelected , ↑ electoral , ↑ elect ; verb : ↑ elect , ↑ re-elect ; adverb : ↑ electorally ]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: electus , past participle of eligere 'to choose' ]
1 . to choose someone for an official position by voting:
the country’s first democratically elected government
a new method for electing the leader of the party
elect somebody to something
He was elected to a US state governorship.
elect somebody (as) president/leader/mayor etc
In 1768, John Wilkes was elected as their Member of Parliament.
2 . elect to do something formal to choose to do something:
You can elect to delete the message or save it.
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THESAURUS
▪ vote [intransitive and transitive] to show which person or party you want, or whether you support a plan, by marking a piece of paper, raising your hand etc:
I’ve voted Democrat all my life.
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You can vote for your favourite singer.
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A majority of the people voted for independence.
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In tomorrow’s election, many young people will be voting for the first time.
▪ elect [transitive] to choose a leader, representative, or government by voting, so that they become the new leader, representative etc:
He was elected mayor of London.
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the newly-elected government
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I think we should start by electing a new chairman.
▪ go to the polls if a country or voters go to the polls, they vote in an election - used especially in news reports:
The US goes to the polls in November.
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The economic crisis could well be a decisive factor when voters go to the polls this autumn.
▪ take a vote if a group of people at a meeting take a vote, they vote about something:
We should take a vote on whether or not to accept their offer.
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They took a vote and picked Bernard.
▪ cast your vote formal to mark a piece of paper, call a telephone number etc in order to vote:
The first votes have been cast in the country’s general election.
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Click here to cast your vote.
▪ ballot [transitive] to ask the members of an organization to vote on something in order to decide what to do:
The union will ballot its members on whether to go ahead with the strike action.
▪ veto [transitive] to vote against something that other people have agreed on, so that it cannot happen:
The president has the right to veto any piece of legislation.
II. elect 2 BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ election , ↑ re-election , ↑ elector , ↑ electorate , ↑ electioneering ; adjective : elected ≠ ↑ unelected , ↑ electoral , ↑ elect ; verb : ↑ elect , ↑ re-elect ; adverb : ↑ electorally ]
president-elect/governor-elect/prime minister-elect etc the person who has been elected as president etc, but who has not yet officially started their job