forvalgt

Forvalgt is a Norwegian term used to describe a person or a position that has been designated or preselected in advance of a formal election or appointment. The word combines for- (before, pre-) with valgt (elected or selected), indicating a status established prior to the actual decision or vote. The term is most common in political or organizational contexts, but can appear in media, policy documents, and governance discussions.

In politics, “forvalgte kandidater” refers to candidates who have been preselected by a party, an electoral alliance, or a nominating body for inclusion on a ballot or on a party list before the general election. The label signals that the individual is part of an internal selection process, rather than someone who has yet to be chosen by voters. A person described as forvalgt may still lose the election; the designation concerns nomination, not the electoral outcome.

Beyond elections, the concept appears in corporate governance and public administration, where individuals may be predesignated to assume specific roles, such as succession planning or committee appointments, pending formal approval or election.

Forvalgt is distinct from innvalgt (elected into office) and valgt (selected or chosen) in common usage. It emphasizes process and status within preselection rather than the act of voting or final appointment. See also related terms such as utvalgt (selected), nominering (nomination), and kandidatliste (list of candidates).