ballot

[bal-uht]

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.

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

/ 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

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)

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballot¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballot¹

C16: from Italian ballotta , literally: a little ball, from balla _ball ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see stuff the ballot box.

Example Sentences

Dr Atia reckons the failure to endorse one candidate under a single coalition will cost the opposition at the ballot box.

Read more on BBC

Swinney also said he wanted to avoid industrial action by hospital doctors who are to ballot for a strike.

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Despite being barred from running herself, she succeeded in uniting an often fractured opposition behind the little-known candidate who replaced her on the ballot, Edmundo González.

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And his critics among Israeli voters — elections are slated for October 2026 — are not only set to reject him at the ballot box, but also excise anyone associated with his leadership.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The first two days of voting are reserved for essential workers and more remote inhabitants among the 115 islands that make up Seychelles, with most voters casting their ballots on Saturday.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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