down-ballot

American  

[dohn-bal-uht] / ˈdoʊnˌbæl ət /

Also down-ticket

adjective

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of down-ballot

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

down-ballot

Seventy percent of likely voters said they had no opinion of either McKinney or Roy — a fairly typical result for a down-ballot race, experts note.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

Their candidacies are proof of the impact statewide candidates can have on down-ballot races, even if they don’t win, Goodwin said.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

Baraka, who came in second, couldn’t match her donor network, and party support that still decides most down-ballot races.

From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2025

Harris also was one of the few down-ballot politicians he helped in 2010, when she ran for California attorney general and he was president.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2024

The attention today is on a handful of down-ballot races.

From New York Times ● Mar. 19, 2024

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