| Method |
Originated |
Pros |
Cons |
% Registered Voters |
| Paper Ballot |
Since 1700s |
Easily recountable and easy to use.
Voters can see that their vote is cast as intended.
However, no privacy for the blind.
|
Time to count unless linked to optical scanner. |
0.66% |
| Lever Machine |
Since 1890s |
Instant results. |
No transparancy for voter (cannot review vote) and easy
to "fix" the mechanical counter.
No transparancy also means almost impossible to tell
if it fails mid-day.
|
13.91% |
| Punch Card |
Since 1960s |
Quickly count (or recount) results; easier to program for
complex local elections than the lever machine. |
No transparancy for voter (cannot review vote in meaningful manner); hanging chads. |
13.75% |
| Optical scan |
Since 1960s |
Quickly count (or recount) paper ballots. |
Paper jams; counting software can be hacked. |
33.72% |
| Electronic (DRE) |
Since 1980s |
Quickly count (or recount) recorded votes;
assistive technology for disabled voters.
|
Security issues. Without a paper printout, no transparency, just like lever machines or punch cards as far as voter
confidence that vote cast is the vote that will be
counted. Expensive;
|
30.75% |
