Candidate
In Latin candidus means `glittering, white´.
In ancient Rome, a man campaigning for office wore a white toga
& was consequently called candidatus `clothed in white´.
Ballot
English borrowed the word "ballot" from the Italian
balla `ball´, & its diminutive form ballotta `little
ball´. Before the days of printed forms & voting machines,
secret voting was done with little balls.
Inauguration
In ancient times, people believed in omens &
looked for them on important occasions. Latin augur meant
a member of the highest class of official diviners of ancient Rome,
whose duty it was to observe & interpret omens, such as the
flight of birds. The verb form inaugurare meant to
check omens before an important event, such as the proclamation
of an emperor. From the past participle inauguratus is
derived English `inaugurate´.^
Etymology: Picturesque Word Origins, Webster´s
New International Dictionary
| 
