[javascript] How do you get the currently selected <option> in a <select> via JavaScript?

How do you get the currently selected <option> of a <select> element via JavaScript?

The .selectedIndex of the select object has an index; you can use that to index into the .options array.

var payeeCountry = document.getElementById( "payeeCountry" );
alert( payeeCountry.options[ yourSelect.selectedIndex ].value );

Using the selectedOptions property:

var yourSelect = document.getElementById("your-select-id");
alert(yourSelect.selectedOptions[0].value);

It works in all browsers except Internet Explorer.