voting

voting — noun

1. the act of making a choice between candidates or proposals by raising your hand,

1.nounB1
Definition

the act of making a choice between candidates or proposals by raising your hand, marking a ballot paper, or using an electronic machine, especially during an election

Example

The voting for the new class representative starts at ten o'clock tomorrow morning.

Voting by mail has become much more popular in recent years.

collocation: voting by [method] (by mail / by phone / online)

Common collocations
  • voting by mail
  • voting booth
  • voting rights
  • voting process
  • postal voting
  • early voting
  • proxy voting
  • voting machine
  • voting system
  • voting record
Synonyms
  • vote

    vote can be used as a countable noun for a single instance ('each person has one vote'), while voting is the general uncountable process

  • ballot

    ballot refers specifically to the secret voting process or the paper/machine used to record choices, and is more formal

  • poll

    poll can mean the voting process itself ('the polls close at 8 PM') or a survey of opinions ('opinion poll')

Antonyms
  • abstention

    abstention is the deliberate choice not to vote, the opposite of participating in voting

Usage Note

This noun is uncountable; you cannot say 'a voting' or 'votings'. Use 'a vote' (countable) for a single instance, or the verb 'to vote' for the action performed by one person.

Common Mistakes

I did a voting yesterday.
I voted yesterday.
'voting' is uncountable as a noun; use the verb form to describe a single action.
There were three votings in the meeting.
There were three votes in the meeting.
'votings' is not standard; use 'vote' (countable) for each instance.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all relate to choosing, but they refer to different aspects of the process. 'Vote' is the most general: it works as a countable noun for a single expression of choice ('each person gets one vote') and as a verb for the action ('I will vote tomorrow'). 'Ballot' focuses on the secret process or the method of recording choices — the paper slip, the electronic screen, or the system itself ('secret ballot', 'cast a ballot'). 'Poll' has two meanings: it can name the voting event ('the polls close at 8 PM') or a survey of opinions ('opinion poll'). 'Election' is the broadest term — it covers the entire event that includes campaigning, voting, and counting. For example: 'The election was held in November. During the election, citizens went to the polls to cast their ballots. After the voting, the votes were counted.'

vote ↗ballot ↗poll ↗election ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • voting booth
  • voting rights
  • voting system
  • voting age
  • voting record

Phrases

  • right to vote
  • cast a vote
  • go to the polls

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The noun 'voting' comes from the Latin word 'votum', meaning a vow or a wish. It passed through Old French as 'vote' in the 1400s, originally referring to a formal expression of a wish or choice. By the 1500s, 'vote' was used for expressing a choice in a meeting or election, and 'voting' emerged as the noun for the activity itself.