absentee ballot

noun

: a ballot submitted (as by mail) in advance of an election by a voter who is unable to be present at the polls

Examples of absentee ballot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For the general election, absentee ballots are mailed to voters starting 29 days before the election through the Friday before Election Day. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 16 Sep. 2026

North Carolina and parts of Wisconsin have already started sending out absentee ballots for the general election. — Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026

The State Board of Elections voted along party lines to direct county officials to reject certain absentee ballots for certain errors that previously would not have prevented a vote from being counted. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2026

The fight over what rules govern absentee ballots could be crucial for the 2026 midterms, which will determine which party controls Congress. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for absentee ballot

• alate
• fallot
• mallet
• palate
• palette
• pallet
• shallot

Legal Definition

absentee ballot

noun

absentee bal·​lot

: a ballot submitted (as by mail) in advance of an election by a voter who is unable to be present at the polls