cast (one's) vote
1. To vote in an election. You seem happy about the results of the election. I guess I know which candidate you cast your vote for! I need to go to the polling place and cast my vote!
2. To share one's opinion on something (which could involve informal "voting"). If I get a say in the matter, I cast my vote in favor of a new microwave for the break room! Raise your hand to cast your vote for lower monthly dues!
old enough to vote
1. Old enough to vote in political elections. I'm so excited to finally be old enough to vote—the presidential election can't come soon enough!
2. Mature enough to understand difficult or complex issues. Your son is old enough to vote, so it's time he learns about your past.
abstain from voting
To refrain from casting a vote for someone or something. Many argue that citizens who abstain from voting put the democratic process in jeopardy. Because I didn't like either candidate, I decided to abstain from voting for the first time in my life.
abstain from voting
to choose not to vote either for or against a proposition or nominee. I will have to abstain from voting since I cannot make up my mind.
cast one's vote
to vote; to place one's ballot in the ballot box. The citizens cast their votes for president. The wait in line to cast one's vote was almost an hour.
vote a split ticket
Fig. to cast a ballot on which one's votes are divided between two or more parties. I always vote a split ticket since I detest both parties. Mary voted a split ticket for the first time in her life.
vote a straight ticket
Fig. to cast a ballot on which all one's votes are for members of the same political party. I'm not a member of any political party, so I never vote a straight ticket. I usually vote a straight ticket because I believe in the principles of one party and not in the other's.
vote against someone or something
to cast a ballot against someone or something. Are you going to vote against the provision? I plan to vote against David.
vote for someone or something
to cast a ballot in favor of someone or something. Did you vote for Alice? I plan to vote for the tax freeze. Of course, I voted for myself! Wouldn't you?
vote of confidence
Fig. a poll taken to discover whether or not a person, party, etc., still has the majority's support. The government easily won the vote of confidence called for by the opposition. The president of the club resigned when one of the members called for a vote of confidence in his leadership.
vote of thanks
Fig. a speech expressing appreciation and thanks to a speaker, lecturer, organizer, etc., and inviting the audience to applaud. John gave a vote of thanks to Professor Jones for his talk. Mary was given a vote of thanks for organizing the dance.
vote someone into something
and vote someone into elect someone to office or to membership in a group. The other party finally voted a candidate into office. The people voted in the new officers.
vote someone on(to something)
to elect someone to something, such as a board. Let's vote Christine onto the board. We voted Dave on last term.
vote someone or something down
to defeat someone or something in an election. The community voted the proposal down. They voted down the proposal.
vote someone out of something
and vote someone outto remove one from office by defeating one in an election. They voted her out of office. The electorate voted out a number of incumbents.
vote something into law
and vote something into take a vote on a proposal and make it a law. They voted the proposal into law. If we vote in this proposal, will that solve everything?
vote something through
to get something through a set of procedures by voting in favor of it. They were not able to vote the bill through. They voted through the bill.
vote (up)on someone or something
to make a decision about someone or something by ballot. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) The committee decided to vote on it. Are we going to vote on this?
vote with one's feet
Fig. to express one's dissatisfaction with something by leaving, especially by walking away. I think that the play is a total flop. Most of the audience voted with its feet during the second act. I am prepared to vote with my feet if the meeting appears to be a waste of time.
straw vote
Also, straw poll. An unofficial vote or poll indicating how people feel about a candidate or issue. For example, Let's take a straw poll on the bill and see how it fares. This idiom alludes to a straw used to show in what direction the wind blows, in this case the wind of public opinion. O. Henry joked about it in A Ruler of Men (1907): "A straw vote only shows which way the hot air blows." [c. 1885]
vote down
Defeat a candidate or measure, as in The new amendment was voted down by a narrow margin. This idiom was first recorded in 1642.
vote with one's feet
Indicate one's disapproval by walking out or emigrating, as in The service was so bad that we decided to vote with our feet, or Thousands of Hong Kong residents voted with their feet and left before the Chinese takeover . [Slang; mid-1900s]
vote down
v. To reject or defeat something by vote: Parliament voted down the amendment. Should we approve this budget plan or vote it down?
vote in
v. To select someone or something by vote for an office or for membership; elect someone or something: The members of the club voted in a new slate of officers. The president has been accused of turning her back on the public that voted her in.
vote into
v.1. To select someone or something by vote for some office or for membership; elect someone or something to something: You must meet certain requirements in order to be voted into the club. We voted her into office by a landslide majority.
2. To ratify or reject some legislation, so as to bring it into some state of existence: Californians must decide whether to vote these propositions into law.
vote on
v. To hold a vote or referendum in order to decide the disposition of something: The committee will vote on the proposal next week.
vote out
v. To remove someone or some group from office or power by vote; depose someone or some group: Advocacy groups are urging the public to vote out the governor. The townspeople voted the mayor out after two terms in office.
vote through
v. To sanction, ratify, or approve something by voting: The Senate unanimously voted through the reforms. Legislators are voting through a bill banning smoking in most public spaces.