Electoral process in the context of "Independent politician"

An independent politician or non-affiliated politician is a politician formally not affiliated with any political party. In accordance with the applicable electoral law which regulates electoral process in a representative democracy, such non-affiliated politicians are not nominated by political parties, but most commonly by a qualified number of citizens, thus becoming independent candidates, or civic candidates. As in the case of party-candidates, an independent electoral candidacy can be individual (a single independent candidate for a single-seat electoral unit), or collective (electoral list of independent candidates for a multi-seat electoral unit).

Politicians may also become independents after losing or repudiating affiliation with a political party. Independents sometimes choose to form a party, alliance, or technical group with other independents, and may formally register that organization. Even where the word "independent" is used, such alliances can have much in common with a political party, especially if there is an organization which needs to approve the "independent" candidates.

A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. General elections typically occur at regular intervals as mandated by a country's constitution or electoral laws, and may include elections for a legislature and sometimes other positions such as a directly elected president. In many jurisdictions, general elections can coincide with other electoral events such as local, regional, or supranational elections. For example, on 25 May 2014, Belgian voters simultaneously elected their national parliament, 21 members of the European Parliament, and regional parliaments.

In the United States, "general election" has a slightly different, but related meaning: the ordinary electoral competition following the selection of candidates in the primary election.

The Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It changed the British electoral process in the following ways:

• Amended the Representation of the People Act 1969 (c. 15).
• Stated that a convicted person cannot vote at any parliamentary or local election whilst in prison.
• Laid down the appeals process in local elections

The act also regulates how political parties and people acting on their behalf are to behave before and during an election.