June 1

Thomas Edison Invents First Voting Machine

On this day in 1869, Thomas Edison received a patent for the first voting machine. This machine recorded votes electronically. Edison tried to sell his invention to state legislatures and the U.S. Congress for use during lawmaking sessions. Unfortunately, the Congress and state legislatures were not interested in buying voting machines, and Edison considered his invention a failure. The voting machine was Edison's first patent, and he went on to receive hundreds more for his inventions.