VOTE and VOTING. "Vote" is specially employed in the sense of a registering of one's choice in elections or on matters of debate, and the political meaning is the only one which requires comment. In ancient Greece and Italy the institution of suffrage already existed in a rudimentary form at the outset of the his torical period. In the primitive monarchies it was customary for the king to invite pronouncements of his folk on matters in which it was prudent to secure its assent beforehand. In these assem blies the people recorded their opinion by a shout (a method which survived in Sparta as late as the fourth century B.c.), or, probably, by the clashing of spears on shields. With the development of democracy the taking of votes was effected in the form of a poll in law courts, councils, general assemblies, etc. The practice of the Athenians, which is shown by inscriptions to have been widely followed in the other states of Greece, was to hold a show of hands (xaporovi..a), except on questions affecting the status of in dividuals : these latter, which included all lawsuits and proposals of ostracism (q.v.), were determined by secret ballot (1,774)co-ma,
so called from the 1,1430ot or pebbles with which the votes were cast). With the increase of the power of the democratic party, the lot was substituted for election, for some of the most impor tant offices. At Rome the method which prevailed up to the second century B.C. was that of division (discessio). But the eco nomic and social dependence of many voters on the nobility caused the system of open suffrage to be vitiated by intimidation and corruption. Hence a series of laws enacted between 139 and 107 B.C. prescribed the use of the ballot ("tabella," a slip of wood coated with wax) for all business done in the assemblies of the people. In federal governments the election of deputies to a central legislature seems to be attested by the practice of the Achaean League, where the federal Council was probably elected in the several constituent towns.
See ARCHON, ECCLESIA, BOULE, OSTRACISM, STRATEGUS, MU NICIPIUM, SENATE, and TRIBUNE. For modern practice see ELECTORAL SYSTEMS.