absentee vote

American  

noun

1. a vote cast by a person who, because of absence from usual voting district, illness, or the like, has been permitted to vote by mail.

---

Other Word Forms

• absentee voter noun

Etymology

Origin of absentee vote

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35

Example Sentences

“People always ask me, ‘Well, why don’t you absentee vote?

From Washington Post • Nov. 8, 2022

Another 30% of voters overall say they will vote by mail or absentee vote; 17% of Republicans, 29% of independents and 42% of Democrats agree with that plan.

From Washington Times • Oct. 6, 2022

The state leaves it up to counties to decide when to release updates on their tallies of the absentee vote, said Jerry Goldfeder, an election law attorney who’s represented New York candidates for 40 years.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 3, 2020

Eric Blakeslee, 47, of Raleigh, who works in information technology, said he voted in person on Tuesday because he was concerned that Republican challenges to mail-in ballots might mean an absentee vote could be invalidated.

From Reuters • Nov. 3, 2020

Morningstar found that the median absentee vote on pay among these companies in 2011 was 24 percent, a figure that equals the median absentee voting at the companies in the Russell 3000.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2012