absentee ballot ?

[maoyueh]

A. absentee ballot: AmE a system that lets people vote before an election because they will be away from home at the time of the election. (see Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners of American English p.5)

B. absentee ballot: AmE an official paper used to vote by post when one cannot go to the place where voting is being done. (see Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture p 4)

I know that Definition B above is the same as "absentee vote." Does the term "absentee ballot" have two different meanings? Thank you so much.

[SoothingDave]

"Absentee ballot" is used either to refer to the system which allows people to vote when away from home on election day, or the actual ballots themselves.

[riquecohen]

A. absentee ballot: AmE a system that lets people vote before an election because they will be away from home at the time of the election. (see Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners of American English p.5)

B. absentee ballot: AmE an official paper used to vote by post when one cannot go to the place where voting is being done. (see Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture p 4)

I know that Definition B above is the same as "absentee vote." Does the term "absentee ballot" have two different meanings? Thank you so much.

The two definitions that you've posted seem to be variations of the same system. The Macmillan citation, however, does not specify that the vote is done with a paper ballot or by mail; it tells us only that it's done prior to Election Day. It could be accomplished in person and by using a machine. I understand that this is done in some jurisdictions and it is called "early voting." The Lomgman definition is the one I prefer and it describes how I vote in US elections.