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.
Tillis, one of the most vulnerable Republican senators up for reelection in 2026, suggested to Greer that the administration has until February next year to fix the economy before voters will punish Republicans at the ballot box. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025 Proposition 36 went into effect in December after a landslide victory at the ballot box. Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2025 What keeps him optimistic, Kass, 67, of Boynton Beach said, is seeing the protesting crowds and Republicans losing at the ballot box in smaller elections since November. Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025 But the social media age restriction passed with bipartisan support and stands to be implemented no matter who triumphs at the ballot box. Charlie Campbell, Time, 3 Apr. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ballot box.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballot%20box. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ballot box

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!