Patent Drawings for Voting Machines, 1873-1971

JF Ptak Science Books    Quick Post, Election Day

I've just simply collected a representation of  sixteen patent drawings for voting machines for the decades from 1873 to a very early electronic voting apparatus in 1971. Today I simply filled out a paper ballot with a pencil, which was in turn read by the real voting tabulator.

I  found very few examples for "ballot boxes" or "ballot ____"  or "vote ___" anything prior to 1850; most of  the patent actions seem to take place after 1875 (perhaps ignited by the very problematical "stolen" election of 1876. 

I don't know if it is ironic/prophetic/problematic that the first example is by an inventor named "Doolittle".

1873

 

1875  

1880

1889

 

1894

1897

 

1899

 

1904

1911

 

1921

1936

 

1941

1951

 

1961

 

1971