- 1[uncountable, countable] the system of voting in writing and usually in secret; an occasion on which a vote is held The chairperson is chosen by secret ballot. The union cannot call a strike unless it holds a ballot of members. Synonymselectionvote poll referendum ballotThese are all words for an event in which people choose a representative or decide something by voting.election an occasion on which people officially choose a political representative or government by voting:Who did you vote for in the last election?vote an occasion on which a group of people vote for somebody/something:They took a vote on who should go first.poll (journalism) the process of voting in an election:They suffered a defeat at the polls.referendum an occasion on which all the adults in a country can vote on a particular issueballot the system of voting by marking an election paper, especially in secret; an occasion on which a vote is held:The leader will be chosen by secret ballot. Ballot is usually used about a vote within an organization rather than an occasion on which the public vote.Patterns a national/local election/vote/poll/referendum/ballot to have/hold/conduct a(n) election/vote/poll/referendum/ballot CollocationsVoting in electionsRunning for election conduct/hold an election/a referendum (especially North American English) run for office/election/governor/mayor/president/the White House (especially British English) stand for election/office/Parliament/the Labour Party/a second term hold/call/contest a general/national election launch/run a presidential election campaign support/back a candidate sway/convince/persuade voters/the electorate appeal to/attract/woo/target (North American English) swing voters/(British English) floating voters fix/rig/steal an election/the voteVoting go to/be turned away from (especially British English) a polling station/(North American English) a polling place cast a/your vote/ballot (for somebody) vote for the Conservative candidate/the Democratic party mark/spoil your ballot paper count (British English) the postal votes/(especially North American English) the absentee ballots go to/be defeated at the ballot box get/win/receive/lose votes get/win (60% of) the popular/black/Hispanic/Latino/Muslim vote win the election/(in the US) the primaries/a seat in Parliament/a majority/power lose an election/the vote/your majority/your seat win/come to power in a landslide (victory) (= with many more votes than any other party) elect/re-elect somebody (as) mayor/president/an MP/senator/congressman/congresswomanTaking power be sworn into office/in as president take/administer (in the US) the oath of office swear/take (in the UK) an/the oath of allegiance give/deliver (in the US) the president’s inaugural address take/enter/hold/leave office appoint somebody (as) ambassador/governor/judge/minister form a government/a cabinet serve two terms as prime minister/in office economy, politics Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivesecret, open, postal, … verb + ballotcarry out, hold, organize, … ballot + nounbox, form, paper, … prepositionat a/the ballot, by ballot, in a/the ballot, … See full entry See related entries: Elections
- 2(British English also ballot paper) [countable] the piece of paper on which somebody marks who they are voting for What percentage of eligible voters cast their ballots? Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivesecret, open, postal, … verb + ballotcarry out, hold, organize, … ballot + nounbox, form, paper, … prepositionat a/the ballot, by ballot, in a/the ballot, … See full entry
- 3the ballot [singular] the total number of votes in an election She won 58.8% of the ballot. see also poll Word Originmid 16th cent. (originally denoting a small coloured ball placed in a container to register a vote): from Italian ballotta, diminutive of balla. Wordfinderunionballot, closed shop, collective bargaining, industrial action, labour, picket, protest, representative, strike, unionExtra examples Only 40% of eligible voters cast their ballots. The club members decided in a ballot to suspend the captain. The jury cast their vote by secret ballot. They voted against him at the second ballot. a ballot for the Conservative leadership a ballot on the new contracts a ballot over strike action The leader will be chosen by secret ballot. The union cannot call a strike unless it holds a ballot amongst its members.
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