By-election

In the context of the UK Parliament, an election held to fill a seat in the House of Commons that has become vacant due to the death, resignation or ennoblement etc. of the former Member of Parliament. By-elections occur between those regular elections in which a new Parliament (in its entirety) is elected (i.e. the general elections); by contrast, a by-election only concerns the particular constituency that needs to send a new representative to Parliament.