ballot

noun

/ˈbælət/

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[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.
- ballot for something a ballot for the Conservative leadership
- ballot on/over something a ballot over strike action
- a ballot on the new contracts
Synonyms election
election
- vote
- poll
- referendum
- ballot
These 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 issue
- ballot 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
Collocations Voting in elections
Voting 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 vote
Voting
- 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/congresswoman
Taking 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
Extra Examples
- 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.
Topics Politicsc1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- secret
- open
- postal
- …
verb + ballot
- carry out
- hold
- organize
- …
ballot + noun
- box
- form
- paper
- …
preposition
- at a/the ballot
- by ballot
- in a/the ballot
- …
See full entry
(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
adjective
- secret
- open
- postal
- …
verb + ballot
- carry out
- hold
- organize
- …
ballot + noun
- box
- form
- paper
- …
preposition
- at a/the ballot
- by ballot
- in a/the ballot
- …
See full entry
the ballot
[singular] the total number of votes in an election
- She won 58.8% of the ballot.

ballot

verb

/ˈbælət/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they ballot	/ˈbælət/ /ˈbælət/
he / she / it ballots	/ˈbæləts/ /ˈbæləts/
past simple balloted	/ˈbælətɪd/ /ˈbælətɪd/
past participle balloted	/ˈbælətɪd/ /ˈbælətɪd/
-ing form balloting	/ˈbælətɪŋ/ /ˈbælətɪŋ/

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[transitive] ballot somebody (on/over something) to ask somebody to vote in writing and secretly about something synonym poll
- The union balloted its members on the proposed changes.
- The workforce will be balloted over strike action.
[intransitive] to vote secretly about something
- ballot for something The workers balloted for a strike.
- ballot to do something Ambulance crews balloted unanimously to reject the deal.

Word Originmid 16th cent. (originally denoting a small coloured ball placed in a container to register a vote): from Italian ballotta, diminutive of balla.