What does voidee mean?
The word voidee names a person whom the law prevents from voting. It is primarily an American legal and political term rather than a general synonym for every person who does not vote: a non-voter might simply abstain, whereas a voidee has been legally disqualified. The expression is especially associated with debates over disenfranchisement, including laws affecting people convicted of crimes and the constitutional rules governing such exclusions. In ordinary conversation the term is uncommon and sounds technical or historical, so a speaker may need to explain the legal context. Even so, voidee is useful because it makes a consequential distinction. It identifies not an absence of participation, but a denial of eligibility, and therefore directs attention to the laws and institutions that determine who can exercise political voice.
nounA person who is legally barred from voting, especially under a statute or constitutional provision that disqualifies them.
- A person who is legally barred from voting, especially because of a law or constitutional provision that disqualifies them.
"The defendant was classified as a voidee under state law and therefore barred from voting."
"During the hearing, attorneys argued that the statute created an entire class of voidees who could not participate in local elections."
"The report examined how thousands of voidees would be affected by the new voting restrictions."
The standard plural adds -s.
"The court held that the voting restriction affected thousands of voidees."
A voidee is not merely someone who declines to vote—the law itself has removed that person's eligibility to cast a ballot.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of voidee
Voidee was formed in American English from void and the suffix -ee, producing a term for a person who has been 'voided' of voting rights. Its use is especially associated with legal and constitutional discussions of voting disqualification. Void came through Old French from Latin vacare, 'to be empty,' a root also underlying vacant, vacuous, and vacuum.
Related word forms
How voidee is actually used
This is primarily a US legal and political term. It is uncommon in everyday speech and usually appears in discussions of disenfranchisement, voting eligibility, or the historical consequences of such laws. It is distinct from a non-voter, who may simply choose not to vote.
Easily confused with voidee
A void is an empty space or an invalid legal status, whereas a voidee is a person who has been legally disqualified from voting.