elector

American  

[ih-lek-ter] / ɪˈlɛk tər /

noun

1. a person who elects or may elect, especially a qualified voter.

2. a member of the Electoral College of the U.S.

3. (usually initial capital letter) one of the German princes entitled to elect the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

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elector British  

/ ɪˈlɛktə /

noun

1. someone who is eligible to vote in the election of a government

2. (often capital) a member of the US electoral college

3. (often capital) (in the Holy Roman Empire) any of the German princes entitled to take part in the election of a new emperor

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Other Word Forms

• electorship noun
• nonelector noun

Etymology

Origin of elector

1425–75; late Middle English electo ( u ) r < Late Latin ēlēctor chooser, equivalent to eleg-, variant stem of ēligere ( elect ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

Ballots received by the deadline “shall be received and counted with the same effect as if given by such elector in open town, ward, or district meeting.”

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

He is one of three ecclesiastical staff allowed to stay in the Sistine Chapel despite not being a cardinal elector, even though they will have to leave the premises during the counting of the votes.

From BBC • May 6, 2025

Xiomara Flores-Holguin was an elector Tuesday and top volunteer for Democrat George Whitesides’ congressional campaign.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2024

Bacon’s district has seen its elector vote go to a Democratic presidential candidate twice — to Barack Obama in 2008 and to Biden in 2020.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2024

On 5 September he managed to get hold of a telescope Galileo had sent to the elector of Cologne, and finally he saw for himself.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• constituent