What is "dual mandate"

n. Situation where a person has been elected to two different bodies with different competencies, for example being a member of both a national legislature, and of a local authority.

A dual mandate is the practice in which elected officials serve in more than one elected or other public position simultaneously. This practice is sometimes known as double jobbing in Britain (not to be confused with double dipping in the United States, i. e. being employed by and receiving a retirement pension from the same public authority at the same time). Thus, if someone who is already mayor of a town or city councillor becomes elected as MP or senator at the national or state legislature and retains both positions, this is a dual mandate.

Dual mandates are sometimes prohibited by law. For example, in federal states, federal office holders are often not permitted to hold state office. In states with a presidential system of government, membership of the executive, the legislature or the judiciary disqualifies during that membership a person from holding office in either of the other two bodies. In states with bicameral legislatures, one cannot simultaneously be a member of both houses. The holder of one office who wins election to another where a dual mandate is prohibited must either resign the former office or refuse the new one.