The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices are confidential. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. An election is a decision making process where people choose people to hold official offices. ... Politics is the process by which groups make decisions. ... A by-election or bye-election is a special election held to fill a political office when the incumbent has died or resigned. ... Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. ... A show election or a sham election is an election that is held purely for show, that is, without any significant political purpose. ... A Fixed-term election is an election that occurs on a set date, and cannot be changed by the incumbent politician. ... A general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election. ... Indirect election is a process in which voters in an election do not actually choose between candidates for an office but rather elect persons who will then make the choice. ... Rules for, and experience with, local elections vary widely across jurisdictions. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... Ballots of the Argentine plebiscite of 1984 on the border treaty with Chile A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita, originally a decree of the Concilium Plebis) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... Gerrymandering is a controversial form of redistricting in which electoral district or constituency boundaries are manipulated for an electoral advantage. ... The process known as redistricting in the United States and redistribution in many Commonwealth countries is the changing of political borders (in many countries, specifically the electoral district/constituency boundaries) usually in response to periodic census results. ... An election is a decision making process where people choose people to hold official offices. ... // Political scientists have developed concepts of different ideal types of political parties in order to better compare them with each other. ... Voting is a method of decision making where in a group such as a meeting or an electorate attempts to gauge its opinion—usually as a final step following discussions or debates. ... A voting system is a means of choosing between a number of options, based on the input of a number of voters. ... Elections by country gives information on elections. ... This electoral calendar lists the national/federal direct elections in the countries listed in the list of countries. ... For the Finno-Ugric people, see Votes. ... Intimidation is the act of making others do what one wants through fear. ... Bribery is a crime implying a sum or gift given alters the behaviour of the person in ways not consistent with the duties of that person. ...

The system is one means of achieving the goal of political privacy. Secret ballots are suitable for many different voting systems. Political privacy has been a concern since voting systems emerged in ancient times. ... A voting system is a means of choosing between a number of options, based on the input of a number of voters. ...

The most basic form may be blank pieces of paper, upon which each voter writes only their choice. Without revealing their vote to anyone, the voters place the ballots into a sealed box, which is emptied later for counting. For the town in France, see Ballots, Mayenne. ...

One of the most common forms in the modern world provides for pre-printed ballot papers with the name of the candidates or questions and respective checkboxes. Provisions are made at the polling place for the voter to record their preferences in secret. The ballots are specifically designed to eliminate bias and to prevent anyone from linking voter to ballot. This system is also known as the Australian ballot, because it originated in Australia during the 1850s.

History

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

A History of the Australian Ballot System in the United States

The Polling by William Hogarth (1755); Before the secret ballot was introduced voter intimidation was commonplace

Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links William_Hogarth_031. ... Image File history File links William_Hogarth_031. ... The Humours of an Election is a series of four oil painting and later engravings by William Hogarth that illustrate the election of a member of parliament in Oxfordshire in 1754. ... William Hogarth (November 10, 1697 – October 26, 1764) was a major English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, and editorial cartoonist who has been credited as a pioneer in western sequential art. ...

Ancient Greece

Secret Ballot was used in several occasions, like ostracism and also to remain hidden from people seeking favors. Ostracism (Greek ostrakismos) was a procedure under the Athenian democracy in which a prominent citizen could be expelled from the city-state of Athens for ten years. ...

Ancient Rome

Laws regulating elections are collectively known as Tabellariae Leges, the first of which was introduced in 139 BC (gabinia lex)^[1].

French Revolution

Article 31 of the French Constitution of 1795 states that All elections are to be held by secret ballot. (Full text of the Constitution (French)) The Constitution of 1795, Constitution of 22 August 1795, Constitution of the Year III, or Constitution of 5 Fructidor was a national constitution of France ratified by the National Convention on August 22, 1795 (5 Fructidor of the Year III under the French Revolutionary Calendar) during the French Revolution. ...

19th century Britain, Australia, United States

Today the practice of casting secret ballots is so commonplace that most voters would not consider that any other method might be used, yet in the 19th century it was highly controversial.

The demand for a secret ballot was one of the six points of Chartism. In the words of the petition that was published in 1838: "The suffrage, to be exempt from the corruption of the wealthy and the violence of the powerful, must be secret."[2] The parliament of the time refused to even consider the Chartist demands but it is notable that Macaulay in his speech of 1842 while rejecting Chartism's six points as a whole admitted that secret ballot was one of the two points he could support. Chartism is also an alternative term for technical analysis Chartism was a movement for social and political reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century. ... Look up Petition in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Houses of Parliament, seen over Westminster Bridge The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. ... Thomas Macaulay Thomas Babington (or Babbington) Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay, PC (October 25, 1800 - December 28, 1859) was a nineteenth-century British poet, historian and Whig politician. ...

Chartist ideas influenced the miners of Eureka Stockade in 1854 in Victoria where they adopted all of Chartism's six points including the secret ballot. The original Eureka Flag (Ballarat Fine Art Museum) The Eureka Stockade was a miners revolt in 1854 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, against the officials supervising the gold-mining region of Ballarat due to many reasons, including heavily priced mining items, the expense of a Miners Licence, and unfair treatment. ... Capital Melbourne Government Const. ...

Secret balloting appears to have been first implemented in the former Australian colony -- now a state -- of Tasmania on 7 February 1856. Until the original Tasmanian Electoral Act of 1856 was 're-discovered' recently, credit for the first implementation of the secret ballot often went to the colonies of Victoria and South Australia.^[2] Victoria enacted legislation for secret ballots on March 19, 1856, and South Australian Electoral Commissioner William Boothby generally gets credit for creating the system finally enacted into law in South Australia on April 2 of that same year (a fortnight later). This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The states and territories of Australia make up the Commonwealth of Australia under a federal system of government. ... Capital Hobart Government Const. ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Capital Adelaide Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Premier Mike Rann (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 11  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $59,819 (5th)  - Product per capita  $38,838/person (7th) Population (End of March 2005)  - Population  1,540,200 (5th)  - Density  1. ... The Electoral Act 1856 was an act of the government of Victoria which introduced voting by secret ballot. ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ...

New York polling place circa 1900, showing voting booths on the left.

In the United States the practice became known by the name "Australian ballot". The Australian secret ballot is defined as having four parts: "The Australian secret ballot is 1) an official ballot being printed at public expense, 2) on which the names of the nominated candidates of all parties and all proposals appear, 3) being distributed only at the polling place and 4) being marked in secret."^[3] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 591 pixel Image in higher resolution (965 × 713 pixel, file size: 238 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) +/- File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Secret ballot Voting... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 591 pixel Image in higher resolution (965 × 713 pixel, file size: 238 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) +/- File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Secret ballot Voting...

In the United States, most states had moved to secret ballots soon after the presidential election of 1884. However, the last state in the union to retire the practice of the oral ballot was Kentucky which did so in 1891 and West Virginia's constitution still allows voters to cast "open ballots"^[4]. Therefore, the first President of the United States elected completely under the Australian ballot was president Grover Cleveland in 1892. When the United States began using the secret ballot, the political machine was esentially destroyed.^{[citation needed]} Elections in the United States are now almost always held by secret ballot, with party nominating caucuses in some states--most significantly the leadoff Presidential nominating state of Iowa--requiring an open casting of ballots. A Pennsylvania state legislator long active in election reform issues, Rep. Mark B. Cohen of Philadelphia, said "The secret ballot guarantees that it is one's private opinion that counts. Open ballots are not truly free for those whose preferences defy the structures of power or friendship." The Populists, a short-lived American political party during 1870s through 1890s, listed the Australian ballot as one of their party platforms in the Ocala Demands. The presidential seal was first used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837 – June 24, 1908) was the 22nd (1885–1889) and 24th (1893–1897) President of the United States, and the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms. ... In this 1899 cartoon from Puck, all of New York City politics revolves around boss Richard Croker A political machine is an unofficial system of political organization based on patronage, the spoils system, behind-the-scenes control, and longstanding political ties within the structure of a representative democracy. ... // Political scientists have developed concepts of different ideal types of political parties in order to better compare them with each other. ... A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English, Pennsylvania Dutch Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... This article is becoming very long. ... The Populist Party (also known as the Peoples Party) was a short-lived political party in the United States in the late 19th century. ... The Ocala Demands was a platform for economic and political reform that was later adopted by the Peoples Party. ...

United Kingdom

The UK secret ballot arrangements are sometimes criticised because it is possible to link a ballot paper to the voter that cast it. Each ballot paper is individually numbered and each elector has a number. When an elector is given a ballot paper, their number is noted down on the counterfoil of the ballot paper (which also carries the ballot paper number).

This measure is thought to be justified as a security arrangement so that if there was an allegation of fraud, false ballot papers could be identified. The process of matching ballot papers to voters is permissible only if an Elections Court requires it, and this is an extremely unlikely occurrence. The legal authority for this system is set out in the Parliamentary Elections Rules in Schedule 1 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. [3]

Chronology of introduction

• August 22, 1795 - France
• February 7, 1856 - Tasmania, Australia
• March 19, 1856 - Victoria, Australia
• April 2, 1856 - South Australia
• 1858 - New South Wales
• 1859 - Queensland
• 1870 - New Zealand
• 1872 - United Kingdom - Done by the Ballot Act 1872
• 1874 - Canada
• 1877 - Western Australia
• 1888 - Massachusetts
• 1889 - Wisconsin
• 1892 - United States of America
• 1901 - Denmark

August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ... 1795 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Capital Melbourne Government Const. ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Capital Adelaide Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Premier Mike Rann (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 11  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $59,819 (5th)  - Product per capita  $38,838/person (7th) Population (End of March 2005)  - Population  1,540,200 (5th)  - Density  1. ... Capital Sydney Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Professor Marie Bashir Premier Morris Iemma (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 50  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $305,437 (1st)  - Product per capita  $45,153/person (4th) Population (End of March 2006)  - Population  6,817,100 (1st)  - Density  8. ... Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Peter Beattie (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd)  - Product per capita  $40,170/person (6th) Population (June Quarter Released Statistics 2006)  - Population  4,053,444 (3rd)  - Density  2. ... The Ballot Act 1872 required British Parlamentary elections use the secret ballot. ... Capital Perth Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Ken Michael Premier Alan Carpenter (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 15  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $100,900 (4th)  - Product per capita  $50,355/person (3rd) Population (December 2006)  - Population  2,050,900 (4th)  - Density  0. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42°30N to 47°3N  - Longitude 86°49W to 92°54W Population  Ranked...

Notes

February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

See also

• Ballot
• Election fraud
• Voter suppression
• List of democracy and elections-related topics

For the town in France, see Ballots, Mayenne. ... Electoral fraud is the deliberate interference with the process of an election. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Politics is the process and method of gaining or maintaining support for public or common action: the conduct of decision-making for groups. ...

External links

• A little bit of revision: Tasmania adopts the ballot in 1856
• Death of the secret ballot
• Secret Ballot, a film
• The Secret Ballot Comes To Utah (1878)
• Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Australian ballot

• Secrecy of the Vote - article from the ACE Project
• A handbook of electoral system Design from International IDEA