Votes near - defer after review (9)
I believe the answer is:
referenda
'votes' is the definition.
(referendum is a kind of vote)
'near defer after review' is the wordplay.
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'review' is an anagram indicator.
'near'+'defer'='neardefer'
'neardefer' anagrammed gives 'REFERENDA'.
(Other definitions for referenda that I've seen before include "mass votes" , "submissions to people" , "National polls as for amendments of constitution" , "General votes" , "decisions for people" .)