By-election
A by-election (also spelled bye-election in Ireland, and also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India) is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumbent's death or resignation, or when the incumbent becomes ineligible to continue in office (because of a recall, a prohibited dual mandate, criminal conviction, or failure to maintain a minimum attendance), or when an election is invalidated by voting irregularities.