A lame duck is an elected official who loses political power or is no longer responsive to the electorate as a result of In politics, an electorate is the group of people entitled to vote in an election. ...

• a term limit which keeps him from running for that particular office again,
• losing an election, or
• the elimination of the official's office, but who continues to hold office until the end of the official's term.

Lame duck officials are in the peculiar position of not facing the consequences of their actions in the next election, meaning they are generally considered not accountable for their actions. They also tend to have less political power, as other elected officials see less advantage in cooperating with them. On the other hand, lame duck executives, particularly Presidents of the United States, are notorious for issuing a series of executive orders or making appointments during their last days which they would not otherwise have made if it would have influenced the vote. A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. ... For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ...

Examples

Australia

In Australia, regardless of when the election is held, the Senate (or upper house) sits from the 1st of July following the election to the 30th of June three years later, while the newly elected members of the House of Representatives (or Lower House, of which the leader of the party (or coalition of parties) with a majority of members forms Government ) take their seats immediately after an election. A Senate which is destined to lose its majority as a result of such a change is called a lame-duck Senate, and often attracts criticism if it blocks Government measures introduced in the House of Representatives. Australian Senate chamber Entrance to the Senate The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. ... An upper house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. ... The House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers) of the Parliament of Australia. ... A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. ...

For example, after the 2004 Election, it became clear that the governing Liberal Party/National Party coalition would gain a majority in the new Senate, which was due to sit the following July. In May, some months after the elections but before the new Senate came to power, the old Senate refused to pass new tax laws that had been passed by the House, which merely served to delay the passage of those laws until the new Senate assembled. This behaviour will usually not attract the same level of criticism if the election has not significantly altered Senate composition. Legislative elections were held in Australia on 9 October 2004. ... The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party. ... The National Party of Australia is an Australian conservative political party, which claims to represent rural voters. ... A coalition is an alliance among entities, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest. ...

United States

Any president of the United States who had been twice elected to the office since the 22nd amendment introduced term limits is, by the above definition, a lame duck for his entire second term, as he is prohibited from seeking re-election. However, presidents are not usually considered to be lame ducks until the election of their successor. (Redirected from 22nd Amendment) The Twenty-second Amendment of the United States Constitution establishes a two-term limit for the Presidency. ... A term limit is a provision of a constitution, statute, or bylaw which limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. ...

Virginia

The Governor of the state of Virginia is limited to one term, but can hold office again if another governor was in office since his last term^{[citation needed]}. Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ...

Origins of the term

The phrase lame duck was coined in the 18th century at the London Stock Exchange, to refer to a broker who defaulted on his debts.[1][2] The first known mention of the term in writing was made by Horace Walpole, in a letter of 1761 to Sir Horace Mann: "Do you know what a Bull and a Bear and Lame Duck are?"[3] (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... The Source by Greyworld, in the new LSE building Paternoster Square. ... Stock brokers are people who deal with stock & bonds. ... For other uses, see Debt (disambiguation). ... Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford, more commonly known as Horace Walpole, (September 24, 1717 – March 2, 1797), was a politician, writer and forerunner of the Gothic revival. ... Sir Horace (Horatio) Mann (2 February 1744–2 April 1814) was a member of the famous Hambledon Cricket Club in Hampshire and a patron of Kent cricket. ... A bull market is a prolonged period of time when prices are rising in a financial market faster than their historical average. ... A bear market is a prolonged period of time when prices are falling in a financial market. ...

It was transferred to politicians in the 1860s, first being used to describe US President James Buchanan and his lack of action upon the secession of the confederate states. // The First Transcontinental Railroad in the USA is built in the six year period between 1863 and 1869. ... James Buchanan (April 23, 1791 – June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States (1857–1861). ...

A "lame duck session" is a formal meeting of old members of an organization after an election of new members, but before their new terms have started.