The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word BALLOTING
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
B
A
L
L
O
T
I
N
G
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Voting" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case voting = balloting.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BALLOTING mean?
BALLOTING verb- To vote or decide by ballot.
- To draw lots.
- A vote or decision made by ballot.