A voting machine often lasts as long as 50 years. Legislative voting machines record the votes for and against proposals in many state legislatures. These electric and mechanical devices reduce the time needed for a roll-call vote of the legislators. Each lawmaker's desk has buttons with which the lawmaker can vote either yes or no. When a button is pressed, the vote appears on a counting device at the clerk's or speaker's desk.
Many legislatures also have a counting board on one wall of the chamber.
As each legislator votes, a colored light is lit opposite the legislator's name on the board. Many legislative voting machines provide a permanent record, showing the total votes cast and the vote of each legislator on each roll-call. Election voting machines developed more slowly. The first practical voting machine used in an election was put into service in Lockport, N.Y., in 1892. Manufacture and distribution of voting machines has continued steadily since then.