Valitavad

Valitavad is an Estonian term used in political and legal contexts to describe offices, bodies, or individuals that are subject to elections or eligible to be elected. The word is the plural nominative form of valitav, an adjective formed from the verb valima (to elect). In legislation and election discourse, valitavad marks items that are filled through electoral processes, as opposed to those that are appointed.

Valitav denotes potentiality or eligibility rather than an actual result; it is distinct from valitud, which means elected or having been elected. Like other Estonian adjectives, valitav inflects to agree with the noun in number and case; typical forms include valitavad (plural nominative), valitavate (plural genitive), and valitavaid (plural partitive), among others.

Common usages include valitavad ametid (elective offices), valitavate kandidaatide nimekiri (list of eligible candidates), and valitav ametikoht (an office to be elected). In constitutional or electoral law, valitavad is used to describe categories or groups defined by election rules, such as valitavate isikute arv (the number of eligible persons).

In contrast to valitud, valitav emphasizes the possibility or eligibility of being chosen, rather than the act of having been chosen. The term is primarily found in Estonian political discourse, official documents, and discussions of electoral processes, and it helps distinguish between positions that are elected and those that are appointed.