A straw vote is an informal poll or survey conducted to gauge public opinion on a particular issue. There are many synonyms for the word "straw vote", that can be used interchangeably in different contexts. Some commonly used synonyms for straw vote include a show of hands, a poll, a survey, a ballot, a straw poll, a test vote, a sounding, a canvass, and an opinion poll. All of these synonyms serve the same general purpose of evaluating public opinion, but may vary in their level of formality or specificity of the questions being asked. Regardless of which synonym is used, all of them are useful tools for understanding public opinion on important issues.