Vote in the middle of the lecture (5)
I believe the answer is:
elect
'vote in' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'middle of the lecture' is the wordplay.
'middle of' says the answer is hidden in the clue (the answer is somewhere in the middle of the clue).
'ELECT' is hidden within 'the lecture'.
'the' is the link.
(Other definitions for elect that I've seen before include "Choose; chosen" , "Choose by voting" , "Put into power through the ballot box" , "Waiting to get into office" , "Return" .)