ballot
B2Formal (political, organizational contexts), Neutral (news media)
Definition
Meaning
A process of voting, typically in writing and often secret, to make a collective decision.
The piece of paper or system used to cast a vote; the total number of votes cast; the right to vote; the process of selection by drawing lots.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily associated with formal decision-making processes in politics, unions, clubs, and organizations. The 'drawing lots' sense is now less common and specialized.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is remarkably consistent. Both use 'ballot' for secret written votes in elections. 'Ballot' as a verb is equally common.
Connotations
Conveys formality, official process, and democratic procedure equally in both varieties.
Frequency
Similar high frequency in political and organizational discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to ballot for/on sthto ballot sb (on sth)to hold a ballotto go to a ballotVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stuff the ballot box (to commit fraud)”
- “the first ballot (first round of voting)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used for shareholder votes or internal company decisions (e.g., 'The merger was approved by a ballot of the board').
Academic
Appears in political science, sociology, and history texts discussing electoral systems.
Everyday
Used when discussing local elections, school council votes, or club decisions.
Technical
In politics, refers to specific electoral mechanisms (e.g., 'preferential ballot', 'exhaustive ballot').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The union will ballot its members on the new pay offer next week.
- Members were balloted over potential strike action.
American English
- The association will ballot the residents on the proposed zoning change.
- Delegates were balloted to determine the order of speakers.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable; 'ballot' is not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable; 'ballot' is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The ballot results were announced after midnight.
- Make sure you have your ballot card with you.
American English
- The ballot measure to increase school funding passed narrowly.
- Voters received their ballot materials by mail.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We had a ballot to choose the class representative.
- Put your paper in the ballot box.
- The election will be decided by a secret ballot.
- Did you receive your postal ballot in time?
- The government is planning to hold a national ballot on the issue.
- The motion was carried after a second ballot of the committee.
- The intricate ballot design aimed to eliminate any ambiguity in voter intent.
- They narrowly avoided a leadership contest by winning the first ballot convincingly.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BALLOT as a 'BALL' you choose to put in a box – like choosing which ball to play with, you choose your candidate.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHOOSING IS SELECTING A TOOL (casting a ballot is using a tool of democracy).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'балл' (a mark/score). The correct translation is usually 'бюллетень' or 'голосование'. The verb 'баллотироваться' means 'to run for office', not 'to ballot'.
- Do not confuse with 'bullet' (пуля) due to phonetic similarity.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'We made a ballot for the captain.' Correct: 'We held a ballot for the captain.'
- Incorrect preposition: 'ballot of a new leader'. Correct: 'ballot for a new leader' or 'ballot on the proposal'.
Practice
Quiz
In which of these situations is the term 'ballot' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'vote' is the general act of making a choice or decision. A 'ballot' is a specific type of vote, usually implying a formal, secret, and written procedure, often with pre-prepared voting papers.
Yes. As a verb, it means 'to vote' or, more commonly, 'to ask members of a group to vote secretly on something' (e.g., 'The committee will ballot the staff on the proposal').
A spoiled ballot (or 'spoilt ballot' in UK English) is a ballot paper that has been marked incorrectly or defaced and is therefore not counted as a valid vote.
No. While strongly associated with politics, it is used for any formal secret vote, including within trade unions, private clubs, shareholder meetings, and organisations.
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