General Election Frequency

• In the United States, the president may only serve office for a maximum of two terms of four years each. In countries such as the United Kingdom, the prime minister may serve as many terms as the public elects him to. In the United Kingdom, general elections are usually held within a five-year period. This is not always the case. Elections may be held sooner if the government receives a vote of "no confidence" or is dissolved for other political reasons.
  
  

Why Elections Occur

• Under the United Kingdom system, at the end of each five-year period parliament is effectively "dissolved" and each seat becomes available to any candidate wishing to obtain it. The constituencies within the United Kingdom must then elect new members of Parliament to represent them in the next five-year term --- this includes the same member of Parliament being re-elected. In the United States, the presidential term ends at four years, and each candidate must enter the race by being declared the official candidate for her party. This is achieved by primary elections and caucuses, by which a candidate generally must get more than 50 percent of the total votes to gain a party nomination. A general election then allows all registered voters in the country to choose among the nominees.
  
  

Why General Elections Happen

• General elections are a way for the whole country to decide which political party will be in charge for the next period. On voting day, constituents visit their local polling stations and mark their ballots for their preferred candidate. In the United Kingdom, the candidate with the most votes becomes the elected member of Parliament for that constituency. In the United States, the voting decision during the general election determines which candidate will win the presidency.
  
  

Who Can Run for Election

• In the United States, members of parties such as the GOP and the Democrats hold primaries to determine their nominees for political office. General elections later allow any voter to select from among candidates from any party. In the United Kingdom, any candidate can run for election to a local constituency, provided she is registered with the nation's Electoral Commission. If the candidate is not affiliated with any specific political party, he can choose to run as an independent candidate.