<P> In U.S. politics , general elections are elections held at any level ( e.g. city , county , congressional district , state ) that involve competition between at least two parties . General elections occur every two to six years ( depending on the positions being filled with most positions good for four years ) and include the presidential election , but unlike parliamentary systems the term can also refer to special elections that fill out positions prematurely vacated by the previous office holder ( e.g. through death , resignation , etc . ) . Some parallels can be drawn between the general election in parliamentary systems and the biennial elections determining all House seats , although there is no analogue to `` calling early elections '' in the U.S. , and the members of the elected U.S. Senate face elections of only one - third at a time at two - year intervals including during a general election . </P>
when are general elections held in the us
every two to six years