ballot

American  

[bal-uht] / ˈbæl ət /

noun

1. a slip or sheet of paper on which a person's vote is marked.

2. the method of secret voting by means of printed or written slips or sheets of paper or by means of voting machines.

3. voting in general, or a round of voting.

   Our candidate was defeated on the third ballot.

4. the list of candidates to be voted on.

   They succeeded in getting her name placed on the ballot.

5. the right to vote.

   to gain the ballot after years of struggle.

6. the whole number of votes cast or recorded.

7. a system or the practice of drawing lots.

   The assassin would be chosen by ballot.

8. (formerly) a little ball used in voting.

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verb (used without object)

balloted, balloting

1. to vote.

   to ballot against a candidate.

2. to draw lots.

   to ballot for places.

verb (used with object)

balloted, balloting

1. to canvass or solicit (a group, membership, etc.) for votes.

   Members were balloted on the resolution.

2. to select, especially for military service.

   Certain age groups will not be balloted at this time.

ballot British  

/ ˈbælət /

noun

1. the democratic practice of selecting a representative, a course of action, or deciding some other choice by submitting the options to a vote of all qualified persons

2. an instance of voting, usually in secret using ballot papers or a voting machine

3. the paper on which a vote is recorded

4. a list of candidates standing for office

5. the number of votes cast in an election

6. a random selection of successful applicants for something in which the demand exceeds the supply, esp for shares in an oversubscribed new issue

7. the allocation by ballot of farming land among eligible candidates, such as ex-servicemen

8. a low-interest housing loan allocated by building societies by drawing lots among its eligible members

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verb

1. to vote or elicit a vote from

   we balloted the members on this issue

2. to select (officials, etc) by lot or ballot or to select (successful applicants) at random

3. to vote or decide (on an issue, etc)

ballot Idioms  

1. see stuff the ballot box.

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Other Word Forms

• balloter noun
• nonballoting noun
• preballot verb (used with object)
• reballot noun
• unballoted adjective

Etymology

Origin of ballot

First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French ballotte, from Venetian Italian ballotta, equivalent to ball ( a ) ball ¹ + -otta diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

Sending time-sensitive documents like college applications, check payments, tax returns, insurance appeals and ballots through the mail?

From The Wall Street Journal

The California measure’s principal sponsor, the Service Employees International Union, and its allies will have to gather nearly 875,000 signatures of registered voters by June 24 to reach the ballot.

From Los Angeles Times

It recognized borders that are kept, institutions that function, and a population that chose ballots over bombs.

From The Wall Street Journal

The proposal still needs to gain enough signatures to appear on the November ballot.

From The Wall Street Journal

In Nebraska and Missouri, voter-passed ballot initiatives brought those states’ minimum wages up to $15 an hour, more than twice as much as some neighbors that have maintained the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• election
• plebiscite
• poll
• polling
• referendum
• slate
• tally
• ticket