Hello! I am a historian of technology at the University of Virginia. I'm writing a book on the history of American voting technologies. I've been trying to track down information on the Montana Vote Registering Co., which was incorporated in Montana in 1893, I believe, with an astounding $5 million in capital. In what follows, I'll tell you what I know about this company, including the names of the incorporators, officers, board of directors, and of course the inventor. If anyone has any information or knows of sources to pursue, I'd be much obliged to hear from you. The inventor's name is Kennedy Dougan. He obtained 4 U.S. patents for a punch-card voting system; the first two, issued in 1890, were followed by improved versions, issued in Dec., 1892: "Ballot-holder" No. 440,545 (Nov. 11, 1890) "Mechanical ballot and ballot-holder" No. 440, 547 (Nov 11, 1890) "Ballot-holder for voting machines" No. 488,937 (Dec. 27, 1892) "Vote-registering machine" No. 488,938 (Dec. 27, 1892) These patents describe an innovative voting system that anticipated the punch-card systems of the 1970s. Voters prepared their ballots by inserting them in a ballot holder and then punching holes next to their preferred candidates' name. The ballots were read at the precinct by a machine equipped with hundreds of tiny needles; after a ballot was inserted into the machine, the counters would increment if a needle dropped through one of the perforations. Although it's impossible to tell from a patent alone, I must say that I have my doubts about whether the described device would have worked reliably. I have not located any surviving artifacts. In 1893, the Montana Vote Registering Co. was incorporated in Montana. The incorporators were: Kennedy Dougan Miles Mix Edward Lindsly W.P. Brayton Wm. H. Houston A.J. Urlin Wm. H.H. Dickinson H.M. Ogden The officers and board members were: Wm. H. Houston, President (ex-Sheriff of Missoula County) Miles Mix, Vice-President (proprietor of the European Hotel) Edward Lindsly, Treasurer (Hickman & Lindsly Drug Co.) W.P Brayton, Secretary (Higgins Western Bank) Kennedy Dougan, Manager and Inventor The board members were: A.M. Ogden, Director (Manager, Electric Light Works, Bozeman) Wm. H. H. Dickenson, Director (Dickenson & Fairchild, Real Estate) John Hayes, Director (Livery and Feed Stables) A. J. Urlin, Director (Real Estate) The company would have mounted a strong campaign to persuade the Montana State Legislature to adopt the machine for use in elections throughout the state. I haven't yet read the legislative journal to find out whether the machine was debated, but it no such measure was approved, I believe, and the Montana Vote Registering Co. disappeared from the historical record. One of the patents was found to be in the possession of the Myers American Ballot Machine Co., upon its bankruptcy in 1898. Dougan resurfaces in Minneapolis, where he continues his inventing career with some success, it seems. It appears (from patent records) that he died in Minneapolis in 1922. I'm sure there's a great story here, and I'd love to tell it. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Bryan Pfaffenberger, Ph.D. Associate Professor Univ. of Virginia Charlottesville, VA [email protected]