Representative vs. Delegate — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 14, 2023
A Representative often stands for a broader constituency and may exercise personal judgment when voting, while a Delegate typically votes according to the explicit wishes of their constituents. Both serve as intermediaries but vary in autonomy and obligat
Difference Between Representative and Delegate
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Key Differences
A Representative is an elected or appointed official who acts on behalf of a larger group of people. Delegates, on the other hand, are typically chosen to represent specific interests or viewpoints, often with a mandate to vote in a certain way.
In a legislative context, a Representative has more flexibility and often votes based on their own judgment and the general wishes of their constituents. A Delegate generally has less leeway and is expected to vote according to the explicit directives of those they represent.
In a corporate setting, a Representative might be a spokesperson for a company, while a Delegate could be an employee specifically chosen to attend a certain meeting or event. Here, a Representative embodies the company’s broader objectives, whereas a Delegate fulfills a more specialized role.
In international relations, a Representative might serve as an ambassador, representing a country's interests abroad. A Delegate would be more likely to serve on a specific committee or mission, representing their country’s stance on a very specific issue.
Comparison Chart
Autonomy
Greater autonomy
Limited autonomy
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Role Scope
Broader mandate
More specific tasks
Voting
Personal judgment allowed
Often bound by mandate
Setting
Legislative, corporate, international
Often conference or assembly-focused
Obligation
General duty to constituency
Specific directive from constituents
Compare with Definitions
Representative
Elected Official
John serves as the Representative for his district in Congress.
Delegate
Assembly Member
Sarah is a Delegate at the annual medical conference.
Representative
One that serves as an example or type for others of the same classification.
Delegate
Temporary Role
She is a Delegate for her state at the political convention.
Representative
One that serves as a delegate or agent for another.
Delegate
Vote-Carrying Representative
The Delegate was instructed to vote against the bill.
Representative
A member of a governmental body, usually legislative, chosen by popular vote.
Delegate
A person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy or agent.
Representative
A member of the US House of Representatives or of the lower house of a state legislature.
Delegate
A representative to a conference or convention.
Representative
Representing, depicting, or portraying or able to do so.
Delegate
A member of a House of Delegates, the lower house of the Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia legislature.
Representative
Authorized to act as an official delegate or agent.
Delegate
An elected or appointed representative of a US territory in the House of Representatives who is entitled to speak but not vote.
Representative
Of or characteristic of government by representation.
Delegate
To authorize and send (another person) as one's representative.
Representative
Like or typical of others of the same class.
Delegate
To commit or entrust to another
Delegate a task to a subordinate.
Representative
Typical; having the same properties or interest as a larger group.
Delegate
A person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy.
Representative
Representing, showing a likeness.
Are you sure this paper is representative of your child's writing?
The representative faculty of the human imagination
Delegate
A representative at a conference, etc.
Representative
A delegate.
Delegate
(US) An appointed representative in some legislative bodies.
Representative
Someone who represents others as a member of a legislative or governing body.
She served four terms as representative of her local at the national union convention.
Delegate
(computing) A type of variable storing a reference to a method with a particular signature, analogous to a function pointer.
Representative
One who speaks for or acts on behalf of another in a particular (especially official) capacity.
I will send a representative to work out the details of the contract.
Delegate
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Representative
(legal) An heir.
Delegate
Goes one step further and encapsulates callbacks into callable objects called delegates.}}
Representative
Specifically, a member of the United States House of Representatives.
All representatives face re-election every two years.
Delegate
To authorize someone to be a delegate
Representative
A company agent who visits potential purchasers; a salesman.
Delegate
To commit a task to someone, especially a subordinate
Representative
Something standing for something else.
Delegate
To give away authority over a subdomain; to allow someone else to create sub-subdomains of a subdomain of one's own
Representative
Something representing or standing for another; a symbol, an embodiment.
Delegate
Any one sent and empowered to act for another; one deputed to represent; a chosen deputy; a representative; a commissioner; a vicar.
Representative
A member of a particular class.
Delegate
One elected by the people of a territory to represent them in Congress, where he has the right of debating, but not of voting.
Representative
A substitute or analogue.
Delegate
Sent to act for or represent another; deputed; as, a delegate judge.
Representative
Fitted to represent; exhibiting a similitude.
Delegate
To send as one's representative; to empower as an ambassador; to send with power to transact business; to commission; to depute; to authorize.
Representative
Bearing the character or power of another; acting for another or others; as, a council representative of the people.
Delegate
To intrust to the care or management of another; to transfer; to assign; to commit.
The delegated administration of the law.
Delegated executive power.
The power exercised by the legislature is the people's power, delegated by the people to the legislative.
Representative
Conducted by persons chosen to represent, or act as deputies for, the people; as, a representative government.
Delegate
A person appointed or elected to represent others
Representative
Serving or fitted to present the full characters of the type of a group; typical; as, a representative genus in a family.
Delegate
Transfer power to someone
Representative
Giving, or existing as, a transcript of what was originally presentative knowledge; as, representative faculties; representative knowledge. See Presentative, 3 and Represent, 8.
Delegate
Give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)
Representative
One who, or that which, represents (anything); that which exhibits a likeness or similitude.
A statute of Rumor, whispering an idiot in the ear, who was the representative of Credulity.
Difficulty must cumber this doctrine which supposes that the perfections of God are the representatives to us of whatever we perceive in the creatures.
Delegate
Special Mission
He serves as a Delegate to the disarmament talks.
Representative
An agent, deputy, or substitute, who supplies the place of another, or others, being invested with his or their authority.
Delegate
Subordinate Authority
The manager acts as a Delegate for the CEO.
Representative
One who represents, or stands in the place of, another.
Representative
A member of the lower or popular house in a State legislature, or in the national Congress.
Representative
That which presents the full character of the type of a group.
Representative
A person who represents others
Representative
An advocate who represents someone else's policy or purpose;
The meeting was attended by spokespersons for all the major organs of government
Representative
A member of the United States House of Representatives
Representative
An item of information that is representative of a type;
This patient provides a typical example of the syndrome
There is an example on page 10
Representative
Serving to represent or typify;
Representative moviegoers
A representative modern play
Representative
Standing for something else;
The bald eagle is representative of the United States
Representative
Being or characteristic of government by representation in which citizens exercise power through elected officers and representatives;
Representative government as defined by Abraham Lincoln is government of the people, by the people, for the people
Representative
Corporate Spokesperson
Emily is the Representative of the tech company at the trade show.
Representative
Embodiment of Interests
He is a Representative of the student body.
Representative
International Envoy
The U.S. Representative to the United Nations spoke eloquently.
Representative
Agent
As my Representative, she will be negotiating the deal.
Common Curiosities
Is a Representative elected?
Usually, but they can also be appointed.
Do Representatives have more autonomy?
Generally, yes. They often exercise personal judgment.
Can a Representative serve in international roles?
Yes, such as being an ambassador.
What is a Delegate?
A person chosen to represent specific interests or viewpoints, usually with limited autonomy.
Is a Delegate more likely to serve on specific committees?
Yes, they often represent specific interests.
What is a Representative?
An individual who acts on behalf of a larger group, often with a broad mandate.
Do Delegates serve in corporate settings?
Yes, often for specific tasks or projects.
Can a Representative also be a Delegate?
Context-dependent, but generally, the roles are separate.
Where do we often find Delegates?
At conferences, assemblies, or specific missions.
Is a Delegate always elected?
Not always; they can be appointed or chosen by a specific group.
Is a Delegate a temporary role?
Often, yes. They are commonly chosen for specific events or tasks.
How do Representatives and Delegates differ in voting?
Representatives use personal judgment, while Delegates often follow mandates.
Are Delegates bound to vote a certain way?
Often, yes. They may have specific directives from their constituents.
Can a Representative act as a company spokesperson?
Yes, this is one of the potential roles of a Representative.
Is a Representative’s role broader?
Generally, yes. They often have a wider range of duties.
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Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
