balloting

Balloting is the process of casting and counting votes in formal decisions, most commonly public elections and organizational votes. A ballot is the document or interface used to express a choice. Balloting covers the preparation and distribution of ballots, voter eligibility verification, the casting of votes, and the tallying and reporting of results.

The secrecy of the ballot is a core principle to protect voters from coercion and influence. Secret-ballot systems became standard in modern democracies in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Ballot design aims for clarity and accessibility; confusing layouts can produce incorrect votes, as highlighted by past ballot design controversies.

Ballots can take different forms. Paper ballots may be hand-marked or machine-marked and counted, often with optical scanners. Electronic ballots appear on touch screens or similar devices. In many jurisdictions, voters can cast mail-in or absentee ballots, and some permit early voting. The choices on ballots may be simple (a single race) or complex (multiple offices and measures). Some systems employ ranked-choice voting, while others use plurality or majority rules.

Counting and verification involve tallying votes, sometimes by hand and sometimes by machine, followed by audits and, if necessary, recounts. Modern elections use procedures to ensure ballot integrity, including chain-of-custody, validation of voter eligibility, and post-election audits to detect anomalies.

Balloting is used in public elections and in private or organizational contexts, such as corporate governance, labor union ballots, or student government elections, with procedures varying by jurisdiction and organization.