Ballotering

Ballotering is the process of voting by ballot in elections and formal decision-making. It includes the preparation, casting, and counting of ballots to determine the result. The term is used in several languages to describe voting by ballot, usually involving some form of privacy or secrecy.

Balloting occurs in political elections, referenda, and internal decisions in organizations such as corporations, unions, clubs, or associations. Voting systems vary by jurisdiction or rules, including simple plurality, majority thresholds, proportional methods, or ranked-choice arrangements.

Procedures and formats: A ballot is a document or digital form indicating a voter's choice. In a secret ballot, privacy is protected by private voting spaces, anonymized ballots, and secure counting. Ballots may be paper-based, electronic, or mixed. Some ballots allow ranking of candidates or options; others require selecting a single choice. Counting can be manual or automated, with audits and recounts used to verify results.

History and governance: The modern secret ballot emerged in the 19th century, with the Australian ballot becoming a landmark reform that standardized voting papers and secrecy. Electoral and corporate law regulate who can vote, how ballots are designed, how counts are conducted, and how discrepancies are resolved.

Contemporary issues: Ballotering faces challenges such as fraud prevention, accessibility for voters with disabilities, and transparency of the count. Electronic and online voting raise concerns about cybersecurity but offer convenience and rapid results when properly designed and audited.

See also: Ballot; Secret ballot; Electronic voting; Ranked-choice voting.