Which term refers to the device used to express voting choices in an election?

• A. Absentee voting
• B. Referendum
• C. Ballot
• D. Polling place

Answer: (C)

The term for the device used to express voting choices is ballot. A ballot is the actual form or interface voters use to indicate their selections in an election—whether it’s a paper sheet, a punch-card, an optical scan form, or an electronic screen. Its purpose is to capture each voter’s choices and be counted.

Absentee voting describes voting from a distance or by mail, which is a method of casting a ballot rather than the device itself. A referendum is a specific type of vote on a policy or proposition, not the tool used to cast votes. A polling place is the location where voting happens, not the device used to record votes. So ballot is the best answer because it directly names the instrument used to express voting choices.