A method of voting, or the piece of paper or system used to record someone’s vote in an election. It allows people to choose leaders or make decisions in a secret and organized way.
It comes from Italian “ballotta,” meaning a little ball used in secret voting. Early votes were often cast by dropping small balls into containers.
The word “ballot” hides an old voting technology: people literally voted with little balls. When you vote today with paper or a screen, you’re still doing the same act that once involved dropping a secret ball into a box.
Ballots are central to voting, and in many countries women and some men were historically denied access to ballots through property, race, or gender restrictions. The term is thus tied to suffrage movements, where women and allies campaigned for equal ballot access well into the 20th century.
When discussing ballots and voting, avoid assuming a default male voter or minimizing past disenfranchisement. Acknowledge that access to the ballot has expanded through activism by women and marginalized groups.
["vote","voting paper","voting form"]
Women's suffrage activists worldwide organized, lobbied, and risked imprisonment to secure equal access to ballots, reshaping modern democracies even when their contributions were later downplayed.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.