Where does the word vote come from?

No matter your current location, personal interests or political affiliation, there’s a good chance the upcoming American presidential election is on your mind. The countdown has begun, and everyone with any patriotic or moral feelings is imploring their neighbor (if eligible), to vote!!!

We will hear this word so much for the next 40 days that we’ll truly get tired of it come the big night. But in the meantime, let’s learn a lil about it shall we?

So there’s no big, complicated story here. But, for fun, take a second and think of any other word you’ve heard that starts with “vo”…

Do you, citizen, take this person to be your lawfully elected president?

I do!! (or not, either way you’re stuck with ’em for the next 4 years)

Yup, “vote” shares its roots with “vow.” They both originate from Latin votum meaning “a vow, wish, promise to a god, solemn pledge or dedication.”

There’s no cute story about how “vote” evolved from “vow,” but if we look at the definitions we can better appreciate the relation. A vote is “a usually formal expression of opinion or will in response to a proposed decision,” and a vow “a solemn promise or assertion.” Basically, they’re both super serious decisions that no one should make lightly (but usually should be excited they have the opportunity to make at all).

Let’s vow to make the world a better place with every opportunity afforded us, including the right to vote.