Editing Voting (section)

==Voting methods==
{{Redirect-distinguish|Voting method|Electoral system}}

===Paper-based methods===
[[File:Young woman's first vote. Cooktown, Australia.jpg|thumb|Young woman's first vote. [[Cooktown, Australia]].]]
The most common voting method uses paper [[ballot]]s on which voters mark their preferences. This may involve marking their support for a candidate or party listed on the ballot, or a [[Write-in candidate|write-in]] where they write out the name of their preferred candidate (if it is not listed).

[[Image:Kalpi israel 18.JPG|Ballot letters in Israel|thumb|150px|right]]
An alternative method that is still paper-based known as [[ballot letters]] is used in Israel, where polling booths contain a tray with ballots for each party running in the elections; the ballots are marked with the letter(s) assigned to that party. Voters are given an envelope into which they put the ballot of the party they wish to vote for, before placing the envelope in the [[ballot box]]. The same system is also implemented in [[Latvia]]. The system is used commonly in [[Open list|open lists]] or [[Partisan primary|primary elections]], where voters must choose a single party whose candidates they are allowed to choose between.

===Machine voting===
{{main|Voting machine|Electronic voting}}

Machine voting uses [[voting machine]]s, which may be manual (e.g. [[Voting machine#direct-recording voting system|lever machines]]) or [[Electronic voting|electronic]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Illiterate voters: Making their mark|language=en|date=5 April 2014|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|url=http://www.economist.com/news/international/21600162-teaching-those-who-cannot-read-how-vote-makes-cleaner-fairer-elections-making-their|access-date=20 March 2023|archive-date=5 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140405072308/http://www.economist.com/news/international/21600162-teaching-those-who-cannot-read-how-vote-makes-cleaner-fairer-elections-making-their|url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

===Online voting===
Some countries allow people to vote online. Estonia was one of the first countries to use [[Electronic voting in Estonia|online voting]]: it was first used in their 2005 local elections.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistics about Internet Voting in Estonia  |url=http://www.vvk.ee/voting-methods-in-estonia/engindex/statistics |access-date=20 March 2023 |website=Vabariigi Valimiskomisjon |language=en |archive-date=22 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110322035819/http://www.vvk.ee/voting-methods-in-estonia/engindex/statistics |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Postal voting===
Many countries allow [[postal voting]], where voters are sent a ballot and return it by post.

===Open ballot===
In contrast to a [[secret ballot]], an [[Open ballot system|open ballot]] takes place in public and is commonly done by a show of hands. An example is the [[Landsgemeinde]] system in Switzerland, which is still in use in the [[Swiss canton|cantons]] of [[Appenzell Innerrhoden]], [[Canton of Glarus|Glarus]], [[Grisons]], and [[Canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]].

===Other methods===
In [[The Gambia|Gambia]], voting is carried out using marbles. The method was introduced in 1965 to deal with [[illiteracy]].<ref name="BBC">{{Cite news |date=22 September 2006 |title=Gambians vote with their marbles |language=en-GB |website=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5369966.stm |access-date=20 March 2023 |archive-date=19 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619082639/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5369966.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Polling stations contain metal drums painted in party colours and emblems with candidates' photos attached to them.<ref>{{Cite news |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=30 November 2016 |title=Gambia vote a roll of the marbles |language=en-GB |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/29/gambia-vote-roll-marbles/ |access-date=20 March 2023 |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=28 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628153749/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/29/gambia-vote-roll-marbles/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BBC" /> Voters are given a marble to place in the drum of their chosen candidate; when dropped into the drum, a bell sounds to register the vote. To avoid confusion, bicycles are banned near polling booths on election day.<ref name="BBC" /> If the marble is left on top of the drum rather than placed in it, the vote is deemed invalid.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Voting with marbles in The Gambia |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-africa-38164870 |access-date=20 March 2023 |archive-date=20 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320004846/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-africa-38164870 |url-status=live }}</ref>

A similar system used in social clubs sees voters given a white ball to indicate support and a black ball to indicate opposition. This led to the coining of the term [[blackballing]].