Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after verbs

Elect to or elect by?

Elect to usually means choose to do something. Elect by is used in different structures to describe voting methods or margins.

Quick answer

When do we use elect to and elect by?

Use elect to when someone chooses an action. Elect by is not used with the same meaning. By may appear with elect when describing a voting method or a winning margin.

She elected to stay at home.
The committee elected to delay the vote.
The mayor was elected by a narrow margin.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
elect to + verb

Choosing to do something

Use elect to before an infinitive to mean choose deliberately.

They elected to postpone the launch.
He elected to remain silent.
2
be elected by + voters or margin

Describing who voted or the result

By can show the voters, organisation, or numerical margin in an election.

She was elected by the board of directors.
The candidate was elected by two votes.
3
elect as + role

Naming a position or status

As may introduce the role someone receives through an election.

They elected her as chairperson.
He was elected as class representative.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
elect to
We elected to continue the discussion later.
choose to do something
elect by
The president was elected by popular vote.
shows voters, method, or margin
elect by
The candidate was elected by five votes.
shows the size of the victory
elect as
She was elected as treasurer.
names the role received
elect for
They elected him for a second term.
for can refer to a period or purpose, not the choice meaning of elect to

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using elect by to mean choose to act

Use elect to before another verb.

✕ She elected by resigning early. ✓ She elected to resign early.

Omitting to before an infinitive

Elect meaning choose is followed by to plus a verb.

✕ They elected postpone the meeting. ✓ They elected to postpone the meeting.

Confusing election result with personal choice

By belongs with voting details, not personal decisions.

✕ He elected by stay abroad. ✓ He elected to stay abroad.

Using by before a role

Use as or no preposition before a position title.

✕ She was elected by chairperson. ✓ She was elected as chairperson.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The board elected ___ delay the announcement.
2. The mayor was elected ___ a large majority.
3. She was elected ___ team captain.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

What does elect to mean?

Elect to means choose deliberately to do something.

Is elect by correct?

Yes, but only when talking about voters, voting methods, or election margins.

Can elect be followed directly by a role?

Yes. English also allows forms like They elected her chairperson without as.

earmark-for-by-as-about, at "earn from", "earn by" or "earn in"? "ease into", "ease by" or "ease in"? "eat at", "eat with" or "eat in"? "echo in" or "echo by"? edit by, for, in, to or from? "educate in" or "educate at"? eject from, at, in, into or by? elaborate on, in, upon, by or about? elevate to, in, above, by or as? "eliminate from", "eliminate in" or "eliminate by"? embark on, upon, at, for or in?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account