ballot

[bal-uh t] /ˈbæl ət/
noun
1.
a slip or sheet of paper, cardboard, or the like, on which a voter marks his or her vote.
2.
the method of secret voting by means of printed or written ballots 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.
9.
to vote by ballot:
to ballot against a candidate.
10.
to draw lots:
to ballot for places.
verb (used with object), balloted, balloting.
11.
to canvass or solicit (a group, membership, etc.) for votes:
Members were balloted on the resolution.
12.
to select, especially for military service, by ballot:
Certain age groups will not be balloted at this time.
Origin
1540-50; (< Middle French ballotte) < Italian ballotta (probably < Venetian), equivalent to ball(a) ball1 + -otta diminutive suffix
Related forms
balloter, noun
nonballoting, noun
preballot, verb (used with object), preballoted, preballoting.
reballot, noun, verb (used without object)
unballoted, adjective
Can be confused
ballad, ballet, ballot.
Examples from the web for ballot
  • Then jurors vote for the best varieties by secret ballot and are instructed to give disease-resistance high priority.
  • Because of a missed deadline, none of the three candidates running for a seat on the town board appeared on the official ballot.
  • So many candidates are running in local elections next month that the ballot runs six and a half feet.
  • Winning candidates piled up huge victories on high turnouts in places where the ballot papers had never even arrived.
  • The voter swipes a bar code over a reader that resets the machine for a new vote and calls up a ballot.
  • It featured stuffed ballot boxes and repeat voting, ballot slips scattered in gutters, trashed polling stations and intimidation.
  • And the late delivery of ballot papers, which were securely printed abroad, delayed the voting by a week.
  • Half a dozen races, each between several candidates, and ballot measures besides--that's harder.
  • The popular politician had been nominated on the ninth ballot as his party's candidate.
  • There were also reports of army involvement in ballot stuffing, multiple voting, and theft of ballot boxes.
British Dictionary definitions for ballot

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.
(NZ) the allocation by ballot of farming land among eligible candidates, such as ex-servicemen
8.
(NZ) a low-interest housing loan allocated by building societies by drawing lots among its eligible members
verb -lots, -loting, -loted
9.
to vote or elicit a vote from: we balloted the members on this issue
10.
(transitive) usually foll by for. to select (officials, etc) by lot or ballot or to select (successful applicants) at random
11.
(transitive) often foll by for. to vote or decide (on an issue, etc)
Word Origin
C16: from Italian ballotta, literally: a little ball, from ballaball1
Word Origin and History for ballot
n.

1540s, "small ball used in voting," also "secret vote taken by ballots," from Italian pallotte, diminutive of palla "ball," for small balls used as counters in secret voting (see balloon). Earliest references are to Venice. Ballot box attested from 1670s.

v.

1540s, from ballot (n.). Related: Balloted; balloting.

Idioms and Phrases with ballot

ballot

see: stuff the ballot box