poll
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go to the polls
To cast one's vote in an election. Analysts have predicted a landslide victory for her, but we won't know for sure until the country goes to the polls.
straw poll
An unofficial vote, poll, or survey to gauge the voting public's opinion of an issue or a political candidate. The latest straw poll puts the incumbent president well ahead of his opponent, but it's eight weeks to the election, and a lot can happen in that time.
straw vote
An unofficial vote, poll, or survey to gauge the voting public's opinion of an issue or a candidate. The latest straw vote puts the candidate well ahead of his opponent, but it's eight weeks to the election and a lot can happen in that time.
take a straw poll
To conduct an unofficial vote, poll, or survey to gauge the voting public's opinion of an issue or a political candidate. After taking the latest straw poll, the incumbent president is placed well ahead of his opponent. However, it's eight weeks until the election, and a lot can happen in that time.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
go to the polls
to go to a place to vote; to vote. What day do we go to the polls? Our community goes to the polls in November.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.