THE EVOLUTION OF VOTING
How America has changed the way voters make their presidential pick
Did you know?
244 million Americans will be eligible to vote in 2024
George Washington delivering his inaugural address to Congress in 1789
VIVA VOCE
Voting by voice, or viva voce, was standard practice for electing presidents in America’s early days. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln were all elected by voters publicly announcing their vote. Assembled in local polling stations, people lined up to step on a platform and verbally cast their vote, which was then recorded and counted. In doing so, votes weren’t private, and the voter’s name, address and choice were made public record. This practice was still used up until 1891, when the last state to use the method, Kentucky, switched to paper ballots.