Elector Count

An Elector Count is the highest rank held by the nobility in the Empire, second only to the Emperor himself and perhaps the High Priests of the Churches of Sigmar and Ulric.
  An Elector Count, who may be male or female, is the feudal ruler of one of the Empire's constituent Electoral Provinces, the primary subdivisions of the realm. As the name suggests, each Elector Count possesses one vote which can be used to determine which candidate is elected to succeed to the Imperial throne upon the vacancy of its prior occupant.
  The position itself descends from the status of the tribal chieftains who swore allegiance to Sigmar Heldenhammer at the dawn of the Empire.
  The title is usually hereditary, being passed from father to son. However, if an Elector is counted as being incompetent, or is guilty of worshipping the Chaos Gods or some other form of heresy, then his or her title can be revoked and given to another, more deserving noble.
  All of the Elector Counts also serve as Empire Generals as a result of the position.