What is "to contest an election"

Contest \Con*test"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contested; p. pr. & vb. n. Contesting.] [F. contester, fr. L. contestari to call to witness, contestari litem to introduce a lawsuit by calling witnesses, to bring an action; con- + testari to be a witness, testic witness. See Testify.]

1. To make a subject of dispute, contention, litigation, or emulation; to contend for; to call in question; to controvert; to oppose; to dispute.

   The people . . . contested not what was done.
   --Locke.

   Few philosophical aphorisms have been more frequenty repeated, few more contested than this.
   --J. D. Morell.

2. To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to defend; as, the troops contested every inch of ground.

3. (Law) To make a subject of litigation; to defend, as a suit; to dispute or resist; as a claim, by course of law; to controvert. To contest an election. (Polit.)

   1. To strive to be elected.

   2. To dispute the declared result of an election.

      Syn: To dispute; controvert; debate; litigate; oppose; argue; contend.

Election \E*lec"tion\, n. [F. ['e]lection, L. electio, fr. eligere to choose out. See Elect, a.]

1. The act of choosing; choice; selection.

2. The act of choosing a person to fill an office, or to membership in a society, as by ballot, uplifted hands, or viva voce; as, the election of a president or a mayor.

   Corruption in elections is the great enemy of freedom.
   --J. Adams.

3. Power of choosing; free will; liberty to choose or act. ``By his own election led to ill.''
   --Daniel.

4. Discriminating choice; discernment. [Obs.]

   To use men with much difference and election is good.
   --Bacon.

5. (Theol.) Divine choice; predestination of individuals as objects of mercy and salvation; -- one of the ``five points'' of Calvinism.

   There is a remnant according to the election of grace.
   --Rom. xi. 5.

6. (Law) The choice, made by a party, of two alternatives, by taking one of which, the chooser is excluded from the other.

7. Those who are elected. [Obs.]

   The election hath obtained it.
   --Rom. xi. 7.

   To contest an election. See under Contest.

   To make one's election, to choose.

   He has made his election to walk, in the main, in the old paths.
   --Fitzed. Hall.