If I remember right, only Japanese Ballot said it was for future games, western one didn't seem to mention to that. They also implied that it technically was a suggestion box and not a raw "most votes = picked".
Besides the Bayo talk, I am now far more doubtful of ballot either way. They used term "realizable". That fucking Word allows them to change rules however they want. Villager & PAC-MAN weren't realizable or Brawl and Ridley wasn't in Smash 4. Snake also wasn't realizable due to Konami and Ice Climbers due to 3DS. Yet they are now in Smash sooo... Who knows how many caveats that wording has.
Actually, I almost wonder if Sakurai didn't actually consider Ridley that popular, since was said to have made it in due to ballot. I also seriously want to know how Sakurai & Co Felt about K. Rool being so popular lol.