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)

, bal·lot·ed, bal·lot·ing.

1. to vote:

   to ballot against a candidate.

2. to draw lots:

   to ballot for places.

verb (used with object)

, bal·lot·ed, bal·lot·ing.

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. trusually foll byfor to select (officials, etc) by lot or ballot or to select (successful applicants) at random
3. troften foll byfor to vote or decide (on an issue, etc)

Other Words From

• ballot·er noun
• non·ballot·ing noun
• pre·ballot verb (used with object) preballoted preballoting
• re·ballot noun verb (used without object)
• un·ballot·ed 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

Proposition 6, the ballot measure that would have amended the California Constitution to prohibit involuntary servitude in prison, failed.

From Los Angeles Times

That can make a loss at the ballot box feel like a personal defeat, she said.

From Los Angeles Times

But I can also see many academy members — the ones who put “The Zone of Interest” among the best picture nominees last year — placing it atop their ballots.

From Los Angeles Times

The RMT union will ballot members about conductors volunteering for Sunday working and use a passenger assistance app to help customers.

From BBC

Voters overwhelmingly supported a ballot measure to undo a decade of progressive criminal justice reform, and rejected an initiative that would have banned forced prison labor.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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