Elections & terms
at-large
Elected by an entire jurisdiction rather than by district. Several states have a single at-large House seat, and many city councils are elected this way.
In full
At-large elections avoid line-drawing entirely, and they can also submerge a geographically concentrated minority that would control a district, which is why some at-large local systems have been challenged under the Voting Rights Act. Mixed systems, with some seats by district and some at large, are common in city government.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.