poll

An unofficial vote, poll, or survey to gauge the voting public's opinion of an issue or a political candidate. The latest straw poll puts the incumbent president well ahead of his opponent, but it's eight weeks to the election, and a lot can happen in that time.

To conduct an unofficial vote, poll, or survey to gauge the voting public's opinion of an issue or a political candidate. After taking the latest straw poll, the incumbent president is placed well ahead of his opponent. However, it's eight weeks until the election, and a lot can happen in that time.

to go to a place to vote; to vote. What day do we go to the polls? Our community goes to the polls in November.

to vote in an election The country will go to the polls on 6th June.

Also, straw poll. An unofficial vote or poll indicating how people feel about a candidate or issue. For example, Let's take a straw poll on the bill and see how it fares. This idiom alludes to a straw used to show in what direction the wind blows, in this case the wind of public opinion. O. Henry joked about it in A Ruler of Men (1907): "A straw vote only shows which way the hot air blows." [c. 1885]