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. Today, voting machines are in use in more than three-fourths of the states.
Many states now require the use of voting machines in all elections, including primary elections.
The United States was the first country to conduct elections by machine. Several others began using voting machines in the 1960's. Still other countries are engaged in research on their use. The ballot may be a printed form that lists the candidates and describes issues that voters are to decide. It may also be set up on a voting machine.