1
- a procedure by which people vote secretly on a particular issue（无记名）投票表决：
a strike ballot
无记名罢工表决
mass noun the commissioners were elected by ballot.委员是无记名投票选出的。
1.1
the ballot
the total number of votes cast in such a process投票总数：he won 54 per cent of the ballot.
他获得了投票总数的54％.
1.2
- the piece of paper used to record someone's vote选票, 投票用纸。
1.3
- a lottery held to decide the allocation of tickets, shares, or other things among a number of applicants（决定票、股份等分配的）抽签决定。
1
balloted, balloting
with obj.(of an organization) elicit a secret vote from (members) on a particular issue（机构通过秘密投票）了解（成员的）意见：the union is preparing to ballot its members on further industrial action.
工会正准备举行秘密投票了解成员对下一步劳工行动的意见。
1.1
- no obj. cast one's vote on a particular issue投票：
with infinitive ambulance crews balloted unanimously to reject the deal.所有救护人员一致投票反对那笔交易。
1.2
- decide the allocation of (something) to applicants by drawing lots抽签决定（分配方式）。
词源
mid 16th cent. (originally denoting a small coloured ball placed in a container to register a vote)： from Italian ballotta, diminutive of balla （see BALL1）.