Distribute the vote first off (5)
I believe the answer is:
allot
'distribute' is the definition.
(I know that allot is a more specific form of the action distribute)
'vote first off' is the wordplay.
'vote' becomes 'ballot' (balloting is a kind of voting).
'first off' means to remove the first letter.
'ballot' with its initial letter taken away is 'ALLOT'.
'the' is the link.
(Other definitions for allot that I've seen before include "Distribute, give as share" , "Designate; sounds like much" , "deal" , "Dispense or distribute" , "Dish out" .)