How the ancients cast their votes

While the idea of citizens casting ballots or choosing leaders may feel like a modern innovation, ancient civilizations developed their own versions of voting and elections. These early practices weren’t identical to today’s systems but they show that people in the distant past did participate in collective decision making in surprising ways.

Ancient Greece, Direct Citizen Votes: In Athens, eligible male citizens gathered in large assemblies to make decisions about laws and public affairs. They often voted simply by raising their hands, and some decisions were made by general consensus rather than secret ballots. Participation required physical presence at the meeting place.

Ostracism; Voting People Out: Athenians held special votes called ostracism to exile public figures. Citizens inscribed the name of a disliked politician on pottery shards called ostraka; if enough votes were cast against someone, they were banished for a decade.

Rome; Weighted Voting by Class: In the Roman Republic, male citizens participated in several assemblies that elected officials and passed laws. But voting was structured by wealth and social class, the richer citizens’ votes were counted first, giving them more influence.

Early Ballots in Athens: For judicial decisions and some votes, Athenians used little weighted stones (called psephoi). Jurors or voters dropped these stones or specially marked ballots into urns to indicate their choice, an early form of secret voting.

Unique Methods included Spartan Shouts: Not all Greek city states used ballots. In Sparta, elections could be decided by acclamation, loud cheering. Candidates walked before the crowd, and hidden judges compared shout volume to pick the winner.

Roman Secret Ballots Emerge: In the Roman Republic, male citizens participated in several assemblies that elected officials and passed laws. But voting was structured by wealth and social class, the richer citizens’ votes were counted first, giving them more influence.