elector

noun

elec·​tor i-ˈlek-tər How to pronounce elector (audio)
-ˌtȯr
plural electors
1
: a person qualified to vote in an election
2
: a person appointed by a state in the U.S. to vote for president and vice president in the electoral college
When Americans cast their ballots, they are actually voting for a slate of electors appointed by their state's political parties who are pledged to support that party's candidate.Allyson Waller
3
: any of the German princes entitled to take part in choosing the Holy Roman Emperor

Examples of elector in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Smith's team summarized how Trump pressured state and federal officials with false claims of election fraud in 2020, recruited Republican presidential electors to support him in key swing states that President Joe Biden won and then spurred a violent mob to march on the Capitol. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025 The legislation also imposed new requirements on states to make certain that competing slates of electors were not presented to Congress, something that Mr. Trump and his allies tried to engineer in 2020. Carl Hulse, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025 In 2021, a much more organized effort to overturn the election resulted in votes on certifying the Arizona and Pennsylvania electors — and the deadly riot targeting the U.S. Capitol. Andrew Solender, Axios, 6 Jan. 2025 The state’s attorney general weighed in on the 2020 fake electors’ scheme and corruption, as fall out from the 2020 attempt to overturn the election continued. Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for elector 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of elector was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near elector

Cite this Entry

“Elector.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elector. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

elector

noun
elec·​tor i-ˈlek-tər How to pronounce elector (audio)
-ˌtȯ(ə)r
1
: one qualified to vote in an election
2
: a person appointed by a state in the U.S. to vote for president and vice president in the electoral college

Legal Definition

elector

noun
elec·​tor
1
: a person who is qualified to vote
2
: a member of the electoral college in the U.S.
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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