ballot box

noun

1
: a box for receiving ballots
2
Phrases
stuff the ballot box
chiefly US
: to attempt to control the outcome of an election by having multiple illegitimate votes cast in support of the desired candidate
They said the vote-rigging included stuffing ballot boxes, buying votes and absent names on the voter rolls.Sonia Verma
By a margin of just 277 votes (some say ballot boxes were stuffed), Brooklyn, the nation's fourth-largest city, had voted to give up its proud and independent history.James Sterngold

Examples of ballot box in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Maricopa County residents have a chance to weigh in on Proposition 479 at the ballot box. Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 6 Nov. 2024 Now that Election Day is here, Americans from coast to coast will make their voices heard at the ballot box. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024 That's because Michigan law gives the sick and weak the right to be heard at the ballot box, right up to the last minute. Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 5 Nov. 2024 Hey, uh, here’s a timely reminder: make good choices at the ballot box on Tuesday, America. Sara Netzley, EW.com, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ballot box 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ballot box was circa 1677

Dictionary Entries Near ballot box

Cite this Entry

“Ballot box.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballot%20box. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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