voter
(ˈvəʊtə(r))
Also 6 Sc. wottar.
[f. vote v.]
1. a. One who has a right to vote; esp. an elector.
| a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 267 The lordis devyssit and chargit Lord Patrick Lyndsay of the Byaris to be chancellor and first wottar in the consall. 1637–50 Row Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.) 191 As to the number of voters, that there should be fifty-one. 1767 T. Hutchinson Hist. Mass. II. 10 Every freeholder of forty shillings sterl. a year is a voter. 1841 Dickens Barn. Rudge xlvii, He usually drove his voters up to the poll with his own hands. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xx. IV. 458 In the towns in which he wished to establish an interest, he remembered, not only the voters, but their families. 1880 M{supc}Carthy Own Times lix. IV. 311 Voters were dragged to the poll like slaves or prisoners. |
b. One who gives a vote. rare—1.
| 1701 Sir D. Hume Diary Parl. Scot. (Bann. Cl.) 78 So by vote it was carried (Halcraig and I being no voters,) to send a macer..to require them to attend the Council. |
c. attrib., as voter registrar, voter registration. U.S.
| 1960 Nation (N.Y.) 23 Jan. 72/3 HR7597, introduced by Congressman Powell..provides for the establishment of a Federal Voter Registration Commission. 1964 Federal Suppl. CCXXIX. 933/2 The suits filed by the United States against several county voter registrars..were matters of common knowledge throughout the State of Mississippi. 1976 National Observer (U.S.) 10 July 5/5 He hopes to raise all he can—$3 million—for the Carter campaign, and raise even more, maybe $8 million, for voter registration and training schools for candidates and things like that. |
† 2. One who is bound by an oath or vow. Obs.—1
| a 1660 Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol Soc.) I. 240 The Generall would passe noe other way than Balimore, as enformed of the said oath to try whether nowe or neuer they did proue true voters. |