down-ballot

American

[dohn-bal-uht] / ˈdoʊnˌbæl ət /

Also down-ticket

adjective

relating to or noting a candidate or political contest that is relatively low-profile and local compared to one listed in a higher place on the ballot.

Very popular presidential nominees often cause down-ballot candidates to win.

Etymology

Origin of down-ballot

First recorded in 1980–85; down ¹ ( def. ) + ballot ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

down-ballot

But there are many down-ballot statewide races as well,

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026

What is one down-ballot item you are voting on that you think is particularly important: Not really.

From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2024

Coleman said that this is a useful metric, especially if you’re expecting presidential and down-ballot polling to converge between now and Election Day.

From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2024

“We continue to emphasize that that should not mean that they don’t vote at all. It is still important to make their voice heard by voting in the down-ballot races.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2024

California and 14 other states are casting ballots for presidential nominees and many down-ballot races today, on the busiest day of the primary season.

From New York Times ● Mar. 5, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023