what is bye election

A by-election is a special election held between regular elections to fill a vacancy in a legislative body, such as a parliament or a House of Commons. It is held when a member of parliament resigns, dies, or is disqualified from holding office before the end of their term. By-elections are only open to voters who are enrolled in the electorate where the vacancy occurred. The Governor-General issues a written notice directing the Chief Electoral Officer to conduct a by-election in the electorate within 21 days of the vacancy notice being published. Candidates can be nominated to contest the by-election, and the candidate with the most votes becomes the elected member of Parliament for that electorate. A by-election will not happen if the vacancy happens within six months of Parliament’s three-year term ending or if there is an associated party list with which to fill the vacancy.