Ballot
强调正式选举或表决中的票纸、电子票或整个投票环节；动词用法多见于组织程序性表决。
- “Millions of ballots were counted overnight in several swing states.” (数个摇摆州连夜清点数百万张选票。)
- “Union members will ballot on the proposed contract next week.” (工会会员将于下周就拟议合同投票表决。)
- “Spoiled ballots were separated according to election rules.” (依照选举规则，废票被单独分出。)
意大利语 “ballotta”（小球），历史上用球投票，故引申为选票。
借词整体进入英语，派生如 “ballot box”。
民主制度报道核心词汇；与 “poll” 相比更突出单张选票或正式程序。
- 固定搭配: “secret ballot” (无记名投票), “ballot initiative” (公民投票提案)
- 动词: ballot；复数: ballots
想象往箱里投小球 → 现在的纸票/电子票仍叫 ballot。
“Observers watched closely as each ballot was scanned for accuracy.” (观察员密切关注每张选票扫描是否准确。)