electoral, a. and n.
(ɪˈlɛktərəl)
[f. prec. + -al1.]
A. adj.
1. Relating to or composed of electors: see elector 1. electoral college: see college n. 1 b; spec. in U.S. (see quot. 1889).
| 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. Wks. V. 327, I only consider this constitution as electoral. a 1691, 1790 [see college n. 1 b]. 1800 Deb. Congress U.S. 23 Jan. (1851) 31 If this body of the Electors of all the States had been directed by the Constitution to assemble in one place, instead..of being formed into different Electoral colleges [etc.]. 1812 W. Boylan Let. 5 Sept. in J. Steele Papers (1924) II. 689 The sense of each district may then be pretty generally represented in the Electoral College. 1827 Hallam Const. Hist. (1876) III. xv. 148 Control of the electoral over the representative body. 1845 S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. I. 413 Austria had..friends in the electoral college. 1851 Gallenga tr. Mariotti's Italy 197 Bozzelli followed up his scheme by an electoral law. 1852 Gladstone Glean. IV. lxxviii. 120 Extension of the electoral franchise. 1889 Cent. Dict., Electoral College, a name informally given to the electors of a single State, when met to vote for President and Vice-President of the United States, and sometimes to the whole body of electors. 1903 R. L. Ashley Amer. Govt. 274 The work of the Electoral College. 1949 Pacific Discovery Jan.–Feb. 3/2 Once we even elected a president of the United States through open and brazen corruption of the electoral college. 1969 Pioneer (Lucknow) 13 Aug. 1/1 The Congress has a clear majority in the Presidential electoral college. |
2. Holding rank as, or belonging to, a German Elector.
| 1675 Lond. Gaz. No. 978/3 His Electoral Highness has convoked the States. 1788 H. Walpole Remin. ii. 16 George the first, while electoral prince, had married his cousin. 1834 Macaulay Chatham, Ess. (1854) I. 301 Frederick..had set his heart on the Electoral dominions of his uncle. |
¶ 3. = elective 1. rare.
| 1849 Sir J. Stephen Eccl. Biog. (1850) I. 88 He found the Papacy electoral by the Roman people and clergy. 1866 C. W. Hoskyns Essays 223 Harold was the favourite of the people, and their electoral king. |
† B. n. = elector (cf. A. 2). Obs.
| 1692 Lond. Gaz. No. 2816/3 The Electoral of Saxony. 1693 Ibid. 2893/2 The Electoral gave Orders to march immediately. 1707 Ibid. No. 4358/3 His..Majesty having written to the Electoral of Hanover. |