白 票(はくひょう)

はくひょう

noun

blank ballot; vote in favor

1. blank ballot; abstention vote

A ballot cast with nothing written on it, used to record turnout without choosing any candidate or option.

白票(はくひょう)を投(とう)じた。

I cast a blank ballot.

Blank ballots are also counted in the voter turnout.

There was no candidate I could support, so I cast a blank ballot as a form of protest.

2. white ballot; vote in favor (in the Diet)

In Japan's Diet, a white voting slip indicating approval of a motion, as opposed to a blue slip for opposition.

The lawmaker cast a white ballot to vote in favor.

In the vote, white ballots made up the majority.

In House of Councillors votes, white ballots indicating approval and blue ballots indicating opposition are used.

Compound of 白(はく) (white) + 票(ひょう) (ballot, vote). The word has two distinct uses depending on context.

In ordinary elections, a 白票(はくひょう) is a blank ballot — a deliberate abstention that still counts toward turnout.
In the Diet's standing-vote procedure, a white slip means approval and a blue slip (青票(あおひょう)) means opposition.

Related Words

general

Added 2026.5.27 11:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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