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 At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple states, including New York, offered a simplified method for receiving an absentee ballot. Eden Villalovas, Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2023 Another area voter advocates are tracking is the return of absentee ballots. cleveland, 23 Aug. 2023 These include a lawsuit seeking to undo the state’s ban and a move from national Democrats to reinstate the use of absentee ballot drop boxes ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Eden Villalovas, Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2023 Given the existing 30-day voting process, essentially an absentee ballot system, nobody needs to give anyone their proxy because everyone can easily vote for themselves. Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2023 Raffensperger, a Republican, also said the signature match audit found no fraudulent absentee ballots. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2023 The law also shortened the time between an election and a run-off election, shortening the time for voters to receive and return absentee ballots. Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 14 Aug. 2023 The city mailed out absentee ballots for the primary June 29. Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 2 Aug. 2023 The event’s organizers distributed election guides, voter registration forms and absentee ballot applications alongside information on how to access the drugs necessary for at-home medication abortions. Alex Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'absentee ballot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of absentee ballot was in 1889

Dictionary Entries Near absentee ballot

Cite this Entry

“Absentee ballot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/absentee%20ballot. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on absentee ballot

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