ballot
n. · v.-
1 voting paper (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatethe piece of paper you use to mark your choice in an election.
the physical slip of paper or electronic record used to register a secret vote.
ExampleThe official handed her a ballot and pointed toward the private voting booth.
ExampleVoters were instructed to mark their preferred candidate clearly to ensure the ballot would not be disqualified during the counting process.
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2 the voting process (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatethe system or act of voting in secret.
the procedure of secret voting or a specific round of such voting.
ExampleThe union members decided to hold a secret ballot to choose their new leader.
ExampleThe committee resolved to settle the dispute by ballot, ensuring that every member could express their preference without fear of social pressure.
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3 list of candidates (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate American Englishthe list of all the people you can choose from in an election.
the list of candidates or proposed laws appearing on a specific election ticket.
ExampleThere were five different names on the ballot for the position of mayor.
ExampleSeveral independent candidates struggled to gather enough signatures to secure a spot on the official state ballot.
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4 to ask for a vote (v.) C1 Advanced Formalto ask a group of people to vote on something.
to solicit a vote from a specific constituency, often used in the context of industrial action or organizational changes.
ExampleThe company will ballot its workers to see if they agree with the new pay deal.
ExampleThe trade union is legally required to ballot its entire membership before authorizing a nationwide strike.
UsageThis verb is transitive and requires a direct object, usually the group being asked to vote.
Borrowed from Italian balota (obsolete), ballotta (“small ball, especially one used to register a vote”), from balla (“bale, bundle”) + -otta (suffix forming diminutive nouns); or from Middle French balote (obsolete), ballotte (“small ball used to register a vote”) (also compare Middle French balotiage, French ballottage (“second ballot, runoff”)); both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic ballu (“ball”), from Proto-Germanic balluz (“ball”).