incumbent

An incumbent is a person currently holding an office or position. In political contexts, it refers to the sitting officeholder who may seek re-election. The term can apply to executives, legislators, or heads of government and state.

Incumbents often enjoy advantages in elections, collectively known as incumbency advantage. These include greater name recognition, established campaign networks, easier access to funding and media, and a record of service that supporters can cite. The advantage varies by country, office, and electoral system, and strong challengers or scandals can overcome it. Term limits can limit incumbency by restricting how long a person may hold office.

Outside politics, "incumbent" describes the current holder of any position, such as an incumbent CEO, director, or judge. The term is used to distinguish the current officeholder from challengers or new appointees.

Etymology: derived from Latin incumbere, meaning to lie upon or to undertake, the term has long described someone currently in office.