VOTING

Thomas Edison’s First Patented Invention—a Voting Machine for Congress—Was a Total Flop

“If there is any invention on earth that we don't want down here, that is it,” a Congressman said about Edison’s voting machine.

An 1888 issue of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper depicts women's suffrage in the Wyoming territory.

Why Wyoming Women Were Granted Voting Rights 50 Years Before the 19th Amendment

More than 50 years before the 19th Amendment, legislators in the Wyoming Territory passed a bill granting women voting rights.

George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress // No Known Restrictions on Publication

Susan B. Anthony’s Childhood Home in Upstate New York Is Getting a $700,000 Renovation

The trailblazing suffragette first learned about civil inequality during several formative years in Battenville, New York.

Celebrate the 19th Amendment’s 100th Anniversary With This Necklace

This year marks the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, so show your pride and remind others to perform their civic duty with this necklace.

3 Ways to Register to Vote in Less Than 5 Minutes

September 24 is National Voter Registration Day. Celebrate by updating your voter registration status in five minutes or less.

Suffragettes march in a New York City parade in 1912.

The Library of Congress Needs Help Transcribing 16,000 Pages of Suffragist Diaries, Letters, and Documents

Donate your time and typing skills to transcribe documents featuring Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and more.

Sandusky, Ohio Is the Latest City to Announce It Will Stop Observing Columbus Day

Instead of getting a day off in October, municipal workers in the city will get a day off in November, on Election Day.

5 Very Early Stories About American Women and Voting

During colonial times and in the earliest days of the U.S., a small number of women managed to vote despite circumstances stacked against them.

You Could Win a Free Trip to New Zealand, Spain, or Peru—Just for Voting

There are plenty of reasons to cast your ballot this year, but if you're a Millennial with wanderlust, Contiki has a particularly compelling pitch.

11 Elections Decided by One Vote (Or Fewer)

Not every politician wins by a landslide. As these elections prove, every vote really does count.

Where Do I Vote? The Simple Way to Find Your Polling Place in Every State

Don't wait until the last minute to look this up.

Does My Employer Have to Give Me Paid Time Off to Vote?

It depends where you live.

Uber Is Offering Voters Free Rides to the Polls on Election Day

You have one less excuse not to vote on November 6.

Is It Illegal to Take a Voting Booth Selfie?

You might want to think twice before whipping out your iPhone and snapping a pic at the polls, or even from your couch, this year.

The Checklist You Need to Prepare to Vote on November 8

The only thing more important than being an informed voter is having a plan.

13 Facts About Election

Alexander Payne's 1999 adaptation of Tom Perrotta's novel centered around a high school student election garnered Reese Witherspoon her first Golden Globe nomination.

Who Was the "Gerry" of Gerrymandering?

Elbridge Gerry might have gone down in history as the “Father of the Bill of Rights.” Instead, he’s remembered first and foremost for another, less admirable claim to fame.

Democracy's Dirty History

For one thing, a trip to the polls used to involve a lot more booze.

She Threw Herself Under a Horse For Women’s Suffrage … Or Did She?

How Susan B. Anthony Fought the Law in 1872

Element5 Digital, Unsplash // Public Domain

Why Do Nebraska and Maine Split Electoral Votes?

In the majority of the United States, one candidate gets all of a state’s electoral votes. Two states, however, don’t have to go the all-or-nothing route: Nebraska and Maine, thanks to the Congressional District Method.

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Electoral College But Were Afraid to Ask

Who makes up the Electoral College? Where and when does the Electoral College vote? What happens if no candidate received 270 electoral votes? And all your other Electoral College questions answered.