Vot'ing-Machine, a mechanical apparatus, automatically arranged, for use in voting, and devised primarily in the interest of ballot-reform to lessen fraud in the casting and counting of votes. The introduction of the voting-machine has greatly simplified and shortened casting the vote, and their use in recent years and in various types has been widespread. The authorized use of these devices dates about from 1892, and those now in large use are the McTammany (Massachusetts) ballot-machine; the Myers American ballot-machine, first legalized in New York State; the votograph or American ballot-protector and recorder; the Rhines, first legally used in Michigan; the Bardwell votometer; and the Standard. The methods of working these instruments are various, and on the whole suitable, and are a vast improvement on the old methods of casting paper-ballots. The general principle of alt is much the same, viz.: the push-button one; and their advantages, besides those of secrecy and simplicity of voting, include impossibility of multiple voting as well as the prevention of fraud in counting the cast votes.
