History of Voting in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: November 7, 2024

Voting is the formal process of expressing preferences for officials or policies through casting ballots. It's the cornerstone of republics and representative democracies, where citizens elect individuals to represent them in government.

1965: Marble Voting System in Gambia

In 1965, Gambia introduced a unique voting system using marbles to accommodate its illiterate population. Voters drop marbles into color-coded drums representing candidates, with a bell confirming each vote. Bicycles are banned near polling stations to prevent confusion.

1982: Six-Option Plebiscite in Guam

In 1982, Guam held a plebiscite with six options, including a blank option that allowed voters to campaign and vote for a seventh option.

1992: Multi-Option Referendum in New Zealand

In 1992, New Zealand held a referendum with five options, a departure from the usual binary format of most referendums.

2005: Estonia's First Online Voting

Estonia implemented online voting for its local elections in 2005, becoming one of the earliest adopters of this technology.

2014: Plurality Voting and Majority Requirements

In 2014, a Toronto election highlighted the difference between plurality voting (winning with the most votes) and majority voting (winning with over half the votes). Plurality voting can result in winners with significantly less than half of the total votes, sometimes as low as 18%, as seen in the 2014 Toronto election.