short ballot

American  

noun

1. a ballot containing only candidates for the most important legislative and executive posts, leaving judicial and lesser administrative posts to be filled by appointment.

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Etymology

Origin of short ballot

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

short ballot

The essential features of the short ballot plan are as follows: Popular elections should be resorted to only for the purpose of choosing those officials who have to do with public policies.

From Problems in American Democracy by Williamson, Thames Ross

The short ballot is a psychological principle which must be taken into account wherever there is voting: it will help the differentiation of political groups by concentrating the attention on essential choices.

From A Preface to Politics by Lippmann, Walter

The platform endorsed such political reforms as woman suffrage, direct primaries, the initiative, referendum, and recall, popular election of United States Senators, and the short ballot.

From History of the United States by Beard, Charles A. (Charles Austin)

The "short ballot" in itself is a slight affair, but the insight behind it seems to me capable of revolutionary development.

From A Preface to Politics by Lippmann, Walter

They sometimes combine the short ballot with the initiative, referendum and recall though they are utterly at variance.

From Ethics in Service by Taft, William H.