khaki election

noun

1. a general election held during or immediately after a war, esp one in which the war has an effect on how people vote

Word History and Origins

Origin of khaki election¹

C20: first used of the 1900 general election, during which the conduct of the Boer war was an election issue

Example Sentences

It would be Britain's third khaki election since the turn of the century.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sir Oswald's Record: Educated for the army at Sandhurst; fought in France with the 16th Lancers, later with the Royal Flying Corps; first returned to Parliament as a Conservative in the "Khaki Election" of 1918; returned as an Independent in 1922 and 1923; returned as a Laborite in 1926 by beer-loving Smethwick.

From Time Magazine Archive