n.
- a procedure by which people vote secretly on an issue.
▸
(the ballot)
the total number of votes cast in a ballot.
- a lottery held to decide the allocation of tickets or other things among a number of applicants.
v.
(ballots, balloting, balloted)
- elicit a secret vote from (members of an organization).
▸cast one's vote.
- allocate by drawing lots.
Etymology
C16 (orig. denoting a small coloured ball placed in a container to register a vote): from Ital. ballotta, dimin. of balla (see ball1).