A mechanical device which automatically records and counts votes. Besides preventing repeating and other fraud, an ideal voting machine has the additional advantages over the paper ballot system of greater secrecy, simplicity, rapidity, and cheapness.

The first State law authorizing the use of automatic machines was passed by New York in 1892, allowing towns to use the Myers automatic ballot cabinet at elections of town officers. In 1893 Michigan and Massachusetts permitted the use of voting machines at local elections, and in 1894 New York authorized their use at all elections. Michigan passed a similar law in 1895, Massachusetts in 1896, Minnesota in 1897, Ohio in 1898, and Indiana and Nebraska in 1899.

During 1900 Rhode Island created a voting machine commission to examine machines and make regulations for their use by cities and towns. In Iowa the use of voting machines has been authorized at all elections, and a commission to examine voting machines created. In 1895 Connecticut authorized the use of McTammany and Myers machines at local elections. The first permanent State voting machine commission was established in New York in 1897. Massachusetts and Ohio followed in 1898. In California a constitutional amendment adopted by the people allows voting by other means than by ballot.

During the Presidential election of 1900, 78 United States voting machines were in use, and they had been used at five preceding annual elections. This machine has the party lines arranged in horizontal rows, the candidates in each row being numbered consecutively. To vote the straight ticket a key is pulled out, but the vote is not registered until the voter swings the gate on the voting machine. Before he swings his gate he can rearrange his ballot to any extent he desires.

The Bardwell votometer consists of a series of sections of interchangeable form, except in the sections designed for the questions "Yes" and "No," or for the "selective" or "multiple" votes, which differ only as to the interlocking or safety devices. The voter finds before him the complete ballot, and he is at liberty to make any selection of names he sees fit. If he desires to cast a vote for all the nominees of any one party at a single motion, he makes his selection in the "Straight Ticket" column, and inserting the key in the hole in the centre of the card bearing the Party name, he gives it a turn to the right. This actuates a register at the back. Simultaneously with the turning of the key a blank disk, or indicator, located at the right of and one inch from the keyhole changes, and a cross or X appears, indicating his vote.

It is now impossible to turn the key in any other hole in that column, that is, to vote for an additional "Straight Ticket", and it is likewise impossible to vote for any individual on the chosen ticket, or any other ticket. But the "Optional Column" remains open, and in it the voter is free to make any choice he may desire. The affirmative and the negative of a question have corresponding keyholes.

After having voted the straight ticket and on the questions, all one can now do is to correct any mistakes that become evident upon inspection. If the voter finds that he has turned the key in the wrong hole, he can reinsert the key and by turning it back cancel his vote. He may now make a new choice with the same limitations as before. The voter leaves the machine at the opposite end to which he entered. In passing out he raises a bar, which resets the machine and at the same time locks it.; The bar at the entrance end of the machine cannot be raised till the exit bar has been operated, so that it is impossible for two to have access to the machine at the same time.

The Standard voting machine is about 4 feet square and 10 inches deep, and is supported by legs. The top is a little over 6 feet from the floor. A semicircular bar projects from the upper corners, on which is hung a curtain which forms a booth. An operating lever extends from the centre of the top of the machine, the outer end of which is attached to the curtain. When the voter advances to vote he throws the lever by a dependent handle to the opposite side of the machine, thus carrying the curtain behind him and inclosing himself in a booth.

The voter first selects his party ticket, and by pulling the straight ticket knob over the party emblem down to the right, moves all the pointers for that ticket. If he desires to split his ticket, he can move the pointer back from over the name that does not suit him, and in the same office line move the pointer over the name he wishes to vote for. He now registers his vote by throwing the curtain open by means of the operating lever with which he closed it, thus casting and counting his vote in perfect secrecy.

The Standard machine had its first trial April 12, 1898, in a town election. During the Presidential election of 1900 it was used in a large number of cities and towns in New York State, including Buffalo, Rochester, Utica, Ithaca, and Poughkeepsie. Consult: "The Voting Machine," in Municipal Journal and Engineer (New York, December, 1900).