Abstract: A portable electronic voting machine suitable for use in simple elections includes a number of spring-loaded switches normally centered and movable upward to a vote position to select a candidate and downward to an erase position to erase a previous selection that has not yet been entered with a light above each switch indicating the state of selection. An n of m counter settable prior to the election to the maximum number of votes that may be cast by a voter and associated logical circuitry prevents more than that selected number from being entered by a single voter. An election official operates a voter enable switch to light a ready light and enables the apparatus to receive vote selections.

Abstract: A switch is added to each spindle of a conventional mechanical voting machine where the spindle is rotated or otherwise actuated by a voter when casting a vote for a particular office. The switch is normally open and is closed by the movement of the spindle from a "no vote" position to a "vote" position. An electronic scanning device is connected to the switch of each spindle of the voting machine and electronically scans the condition of each switch of the voting machine when the vote is registered by the operation of the curtain handle by the voter. The electronically scanned output of each of the switches is then transmitted over telephone lines either instantaneously or after a given storage period which could last till the close of the polls, to centrally located computers at county, state, federal and news media locations. These computers keep a current running total of the vote in various categories and further provide print-out at the close of the polls.