Imagine going to the polls to vote on election day, and instead of receiving a government-printed ballot with directions to your own (indoor) private voting booth, you instead wait in line outside, your name gets called in front of everyone, and you yell out your political choices for all to hear. This was the practice in a number of states in the 19th century. Professor Don DeBats and I discuss the history of "viva voce" ("by voice") voting in America, where and why it prospered, why it eventually disappeared, and how it shapes our elections today.
Viva Voce Voting History in the USA (Table by Prof. DeBats):
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