Candidate in United States

Candidate Definition

(Lat. candidus, white). Said to be from the custom of Roman candidates to clothe themselves in a white tunic. One who offers himself for an office. One must offer himself either directly, or by consenting to the presentation of his name by others to be a candidate. 2 Maule & S. 212. It has been held to include persons seek’ ing a nomination for office. 112 Pa. St. 624.

Candidate in Foreign Legal Encyclopedias

Back to Top

For starting research in the law of a foreign country:

Browse the American Encyclopedia of Law for Candidate

Scan Candidate in the appropriate area of law:

Back to Top

Explore other Reference Works

Back to Top

Legal Issue for Attorneys

(Lat. candidus, white). Said to be from the custom of Roman candidates to clothe themselves in a white tunic. One who offers himself for an office. One must offer himself either directly, or by consenting to the presentation of his name by others to be a candidate. 2 Maule & S. 212. It has been held to include persons seek’ ing a nomination for office. 112 Pa. St. 624.

The Index is a collection of entries to allow users to locate information in the Lawi Projects. After write down relevant words and phrases that you need, begin looking up the words and phrases using the index until you have located an applicable subject to review.

Indexes of All Encyclopedias:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Z

Back to Top

This definition of Candidate is based on The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary. This entry needs to be proofread.

Could a Candidate Win the Most Votes and Still Lose the Election?

Agent (of a candidate) in the context of the Political Party Committees

In this context, Agent (of a candidate) may be defined as follows: An agent is any person that on behalf of a campaign has actual authority, either expressed or implied, to: • Solicit, receive, direct, transfer or spend funds in connection with any election. 300.2(b)(3) (See definitions of solicit and direct); or • Request or suggest that a communication be created, produced or distributed; to create, produce or distribute any communication at the request of a candidate; or to be materially involved in the content or distribution of a communication.109.3(b). (Note: For additional activities agents may perform, consult 109.3.)

Candidate in the context of the Political Party Committees

In this context, Candidate may be defined as follows: An individual seeking nomination for election, or election to federal office becomes a candidate when he or she (or agents acting on his or her behalf) raise contributions that exceed $5,000 or make expenditures that exceed $5,000. 100.3.

Stalking Horse (in Politics)

Related to political science, the following is a definition of Stalking Horse in the U.S. practice of politics: A candidate put forward in an election to conceal an anonymous person’s potential candidacy. If the idea of the campaign proves viable, the anonymous person can then declare their interest and run with little risk of failure.

A stalking horse candidate is also sometimes used to divide the opposition in order to help another candidate.

Daryl Lyman: “The expression originated hundreds of years ago in old English hunting practices, especially among fowlers. Many kinds of game that would flee at the first sign of humans would not be alarmed by the approach of a horse. Therefore, fowlers trained horses to serve as covers during hunting.”