Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense ballots, present participle balloting, past tense, past participle balloted
1. countable noun [oft byNOUN]
A ballot is a secret vote in which people select a candidate in an election, or express their opinion about something.
The result of the ballot will not be known for two weeks.
Fifty of its members will be elected by direct ballot.
Synonyms: vote, election, voting, poll More Synonyms of ballot
2. countable noun
A ballot is a piece of paper on which you indicate your choice or opinion in a secret vote.
Election boards will count the ballots by hand.
...the first senator to be re-elected without her name appearing on the ballot.
3. verb
If you ballot a group of people, you find out what they think about a subject by organizing a secret vote.
The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: poll, canvass More Synonyms of ballot
ballotinguncountable noun
International observers say the balloting was fair.
ballot in British English
(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. New Zealand
the allocation by ballot of farming land among eligible candidates, such as ex-servicemen
8. New Zealand
a low-interest housing loan allocated by building societies by drawing lots among its eligible members
verbWord forms: -lots, -loting or -loted
9.
to vote or elicit a vote from
we balloted the members on this issue
10. (transitive; usually foll byfor)
to select (officials, etc) by lot or ballot or to select (successful applicants) at random
11. (transitive; often foll byfor)
to vote or decide (on an issue, etc)
Word origin
C16: from Italian ballotta, literally: a little ball, from ballaball1
ballot in American English
(ˈbælət)
noun
1.
a. Obsolete
a ball
b.
now, a ticket, paper, etc., by which a vote is registered
2.
the act or a method of voting; esp., secret voting by the use of ballots or voting machines
3.
the right to vote
4.
the total number of votes cast in an election
5.
a list of people running for office; ticket
verb intransitive
6.
to decide by means of the ballot; vote
Derived forms
balloter (ˈballoter)
noun
Word origin
It ballotta, pallotta, dim. of palla: see balloon
Examples of 'ballot' in a sentence
ballot
The union said it would now begin a formal statutory strike ballot.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The ballot result is expected next week.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This time the ballot is secret - the five permanent members of the council will vote using red slips.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
At the time the party did not think that they were needed, judging that new thresholds for ballots on industrial action would be enough.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We have a signed tally sheet from the three members who counted the ballots.
Christianity Today (2000)
Unite says the offer was rejected in a consultative ballot and the strike vote followed.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This is done by secret ballot under a single transferable vote system.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The results of a ballot are due at the end of the week.
The Sun (2009)
The allocation of seats will be decided by ballot.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Staff are expected to meet next week to consider whether to ballot for industrial action.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The ticketing ballot and subsequent issues have been a farce and should have been rectified long ago.
The Sun (2012)
When they step into the ballot box come election time.
The Sun (2013)
The final ballot count is due this week.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But the union did agree to postpone a strike ballot.
The Sun (2010)
They will whittle the five contenders down to two in a series of secret ballots.
The Sun (2016)
But her constituents will decide at the ballot box.
The Sun (2009)
Head teachers are to vote for the first time on a ballot on industrial action today.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
There was an election by secret ballot.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In previous elections voters could reasonably expect to know what kind of government they were selecting at the ballot box.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Long queues formed in many areas and a number of voters said that they waited all night to cast ballots.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Trade unions are also required to hold a ballot to confirm that its members wish to make donations to political parties.
Chambers, Ian Business Studies Basic Facts (1990)
On Friday a random ballot will choose the lucky fans who get tickets.
The Sun (2007)
Postal ballots are issued on demand, with the only requirement being a postal address.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The first five feature most prominently on the ballot screen, but otherwise appear at random on the ballot page.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The Finn had asked the French high court to guarantee a fair ballot.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
His refusal to back down came as officers across Britain agreed to hold a ballot on whether to press for the right to go on strike.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The next Commons Speaker will be the first to be selected by secret ballot.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
ballot
British English: ballot NOUN
A ballot is a secret vote in which people select a candidate in an election, or express their opinion about something.
The result of the ballot will not be known for two weeks.
American English: ballot
Brazilian Portuguese: votação
Chinese: 无记名投票
European Spanish: votación
French: scrutin
German: Abstimmung
Italian: votazionea scrutinio segreto
Japanese: 無記名投票
Korean: 투표
European Portuguese: votação
Latin American Spanish: votación
British English: ballot VERB
If you ballot a group of people, you find out what they think about a subject by organizing a secret vote.
The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.
American English: ballot
Brazilian Portuguese: fazer consulta por meio escrito
Chinese: 采无记名投票
European Spanish: someter a votación
French: faire voter
German: abstimmen lassen
Italian: far votarea scrutinio segreto
Japanese: に投票を求める
Korean: 비밀 투표를 실시하다
European Portuguese: fazer consulta por meio escrito
Latin American Spanish: someter a votación
All related terms of 'ballot'
ballot box
A ballot box is the box into which ballot papers are put after people have voted.
ballot paper
A ballot paper is a piece of paper on which you indicate your choice or opinion in an election or ballot.
second ballot
an electoral procedure in which, if no candidate emerges as a clear winner in a first ballot , candidates at the bottom of the poll are eliminated and another ballot is held among the remaining candidates
secret ballot
a vote in which the confidentiality of how one votes is safeguarded
absentee ballot
a ballot in which votes are cast in advance because voters are unable to go to the polling place
ballot rigging
Ballot rigging is the act of illegally changing the result of an election by producing a false record of the number of votes.
bedsheet ballot
a very long, involved paper ballot
Australian ballot
an official ballot listing candidates for election to public office and issues, levies, etc., distributed inside the polling place to be marked by the voter in secret : it originated in Australia and is widely used in the U.S.
butterfly ballot
a ballot paper in the form of two leaves extending from a central spine
ballot-box stuffing
the act of illegally submitting more than one vote in a ballot in which only one vote is permitted
Buys Ballot's law
a law stating that if an observer stands with his or her back to the wind in the N hemisphere , atmospheric pressure is lower on his or her left, and vice versa in the S hemisphere
Chinese translation of 'ballot'
ballot
(ˈbælət)
n(c)
(= vote) 无(無)记(記)名投票 (wújìmíng tóupiào)
vt
[group]使投票表决(決) (shǐ tóupiào biǎojué)
(noun)
Definition
the practice of selecting a representative or course of action by voting
The result of the ballot will not be known for two weeks.
Synonyms
vote
They took a vote and decided not to do it.
election
Poland's first fully free elections for more than fifty years
voting
poll
In 1945, Churchill was defeated at the polls.
polling
referendum
a referendum on independence
show of hands
(verb)
Definition
to vote or ask for a vote from
The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.
Synonyms
poll
More than 18,000 people were polled.
canvass
The survey canvassed the views of almost 80 economists.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of canvass
Definition
to find out the opinions of (people) by conducting a survey
The survey canvassed the views of almost 80 economists.
Synonyms
poll,
study,
examine,
investigate,
analyse,
scan,
inspect,
sift,
scrutinize
in the sense of election
Definition
a process whereby people vote for a person or party to fill a position
Poland's first fully free elections for more than fifty years
Synonyms
vote,
poll,
ballot,
determination,
referendum,
franchise,
plebiscite,
show of hands
in the sense of referendum
Definition
a direct vote of the electorate on a question of importance