ballot

UK: /ˈbælət/ US: /ˈbælət/ ,(bal′ət)

Inflections of 'ballot' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

ballots

v 3rd person singular

balloting

v pres p

balloted

v past

balloted

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bal•lot /ˈbælət/   n. 

1. [countable] a sheet on which a vote is registered.
2. Government the method or act of secret voting:[count;
   usually singular]:
   elected her treasurer in a secret ballot.
   [ noncount;
   by + ~ ]:
   chosen by ballot.
3. Government [uncountable] the right to vote.
4. Government [uncountable] the whole number of votes cast or recorded.

v. [no object]

5. Government to vote by ballot.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bal•lot  (bal′ət), n., v., -lot•ed, -lot•ing. 
n. 

1. Government a slip or sheet of paper, cardboard, or the like, on which a voter marks his or her vote.
2. Government the method of secret voting by means of printed or written ballots or by means of voting machines.
3. Government voting in general, or a round of voting:
   Our candidate was defeated on the third ballot.
4. Government the list of candidates to be voted on:
   They succeeded in getting her name placed on the ballot.
5. Government the right to vote:
   to gain the ballot after years of struggle.
6. Government the whole number of votes cast or recorded.
7. Government a system or the practice of drawing lots:
   The assassin would be chosen by ballot.
8. Government (formerly) a little ball used in voting.

v.i. 

9. Government to vote by ballot:
   to ballot against a candidate.
10. Government to draw lots:
    to ballot for places.

v.t. 

11. Government to canvass or solicit (a group, membership, etc.) for votes:
    Members were balloted on the resolution.
12. Government to select, esp. for military service, by ballot:
    Certain age groups will not be balloted at this time.

• Venetian), equivalent. to ball(a) ball¹ + -otta diminutive suffix
• Italian ballotta (probably
• Middle French ballotte)
• (1540–50

bal′lot•er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

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. the allocation by ballot of farming land among eligible candidates, such as ex-servicemen
8. a low-interest housing loan allocated by building societies by drawing lots among its eligible members

verb ( -lots, -loting, -loted)

1. to vote or elicit a vote from: we balloted the members on this issue
2. (transitive) usually followed by for: to select (officials, etc) by lot or ballot or to select (successful applicants) at random
3. (transitive) often followed by for: to vote or decide (on an issue, etc)

Etymology: 16th Century: from Italian ballotta, literally: a little ball, from balla ball¹