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Definition of vote noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

      

    vote

     noun
    noun
    NAmE//voʊt//
     
     
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  1. 1[countable] vote (for/against somebody/something) a formal choice that you make in an election or at a meeting in order to choose someone or decide something There were 21 votes for and 17 against the motion, with 2 abstentions. The motion was passed by 6 votes to 3. The chairperson has the casting/deciding vote. The Independent candidate won over 3,000 of the 14,000 votes cast.
  2. 2[countable] vote (on something) an occasion when a group of people vote on something to take a vote on an issue The issue was put to a vote. The vote was unanimous. Thesauruselection
    • vote
    • referendum
    • ballot
    These are all words for an event in which people choose a representative or decide something by voting.
    • election an occasion on which people officially choose a political representative or government by voting:Whom did you vote for in the last election?
    • vote an occasion on which a group of people vote for someone or something:They took a vote on who should go first.
    • referendum an occasion on which all the adults in a district can vote on a particular issue
    • ballot the system of voting by marking an election paper, especially in secret; an occasion on which a vote is held:The leader will be chosen by secret ballot. Ballot is usually used about a vote within an organization rather than an occasion on which the public vote.
    Patterns
    • a national/local election/vote/referendum/ballot
    • to have/hold/conduct a(n) election/vote/referendum/ballot
  3. 3the vote [singular] the total number of votes in an election She obtained 40% of the vote. The party increased their share of the vote.
  4. 4the vote [singular] the vote given by a particular group of people, or for a particular party, etc. the student vote the Hispanic vote
  5. 5the vote [singular] the right to vote, especially in political elections In the U.S., people get the vote at 18. see block vote
Topic CollocationsVoting in Electionsrunning for election
  • conduct/hold an election/a referendum
  • run for office/election/governor/mayor/president/the White House
  • enter/run in/withdraw from the primary/Senate/gubernatorial race
  • represent the Democrats/the Republican Party
  • hold/contest a local/mid-term/primary/national election
  • launch/run a presidential (election) campaign
  • support/back a candidate
  • sway/convince/persuade voters/the electorate
  • appeal to/attract/woo/target/pander to swing voters
  • fix/rig/steal an election/the vote
voting
  • go to/be turned away from a polling place/station
  • cast a/your vote/ballot (for somebody)
  • vote for the Republican candidate/the Democratic ticket
  • mark/spoil your ballot paper
  • count the early/absentee ballots
  • go to/be defeated at the ballot box
  • get/win/receive/lose votes
  • get/win (60% of) the popular/black/Hispanic/Latino vote
  • win power/the election/the primary/a senate seat/a majority
  • lose an election/the vote/your majority/your seat
  • win/come to power in a landslide (victory) (= with many more votes than any other party)
  • elect/reelect somebody (as) mayor/president/congressman/congresswoman/a Senator/a Representative
taking power
  • be sworn into office/in as president
  • take/administer the oath of office
  • give/deliver the inaugural address
  • take/enter/hold/leave office
  • appoint somebody (as) ambassador/governor/minister/a federal judge/a Supreme Court justice
  • form a government/a cabinet
  • serve two terms as president/in office
  • ⇨ more collocations at economy, politics
See vote in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary