Burroughs Machine for Vote Tabulation
date: label: date made
content: 1936
name: label: maker
content: Burroughs Adding Machine Company
notes: label: Description
content: In 1932 Hans Jurgensen, who had been active in Democratic Party politics in Queens, New York, was appointed a tally clerk for the United States House of Representatives. He and his assistants kept records on how individual members voted on roll call votes for publication in <I>The Congressional Record</I>. They stamped the information by hand, making about 500,000 registrations per year. Jurgensen concluded that a machine could do the work more efficiently, and ordered this modified bookkeeping machine from the Burroughs Adding Machine Company of Detroit.
label: Description
content: The machine has eight columns of metal bars that are painted black; each bar covers two key stems. Each column has seven bars labeled: “NVF” (not voting for), “NVA” (not voting against), “NV” (not voting), “AB” (absent), “PR”(present), “NAY”, and “YEA”. A column of keys is labeled the same way. At the top is a row of 17 red zeroing keys. Repeat and error keys are on the right and an operating bar right of them. At the back is a rubber platen and metal carriage. A motor and cord are under the machine.
label: Description
content: The machine sits on a black metal stand that fits on a wooden dolly that is painted green and gold. Attached to the stand is a piece of black cloth with snaps. With the wooden kick stand up, it measures: 95 cm. w. x 74 cm. d. x 106 cm. h.
label: Description
content: Marks on the back of paper feed, on the kick stand, and on front of machine read: Burroughs. A mark on the front reads: 1A136058.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: “Hans Jurgensen, 51, Congressional Aide,” <I>New York Times</I>, June 29, 1945, p. 15. This obituary mentions Jurgensen’s work on the technology of vote tabulation.
label: Description
content: “New time saving voting machine designed to [sic] U. S. Capitol Employee,” Harris & Ewing Collection, Library of Congress. The Library of Congress dates this photograph to 1938. (http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/hec2009015711/).
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Michigan, Detroit
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
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content: Government, Politics, and Reform
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content: Bookkeeping Machines
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Transfer from General Services Administration
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1978.2371.01
label: accession number
content: 1978.2371
label: catalog number
content: 1978.2371.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: bookkeeping machine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: rubber (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: felt (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm; 23 5/8 in x 23 5/8 in x 23 5/8 in