text: Deliberative assemblies—bodies that use parliamentary procedure to arrive at decisions—use several methods when voting on motions (formal proposals by a member or members of a deliberative assembly). The regular methods of voting in such bodies are a voice vote, a rising vote, and a show of hands. Additional forms of voting include a recorded vote and balloting. The assembly can decide on the voting method by adopting a motion on it.
  Voting methods
  Paper-based methods
  The most common voting method uses paper ballots on which voters mark their preferences. This may involve marking their support for a candidate or party listed on the ballot, or a write-in where they write out the name of their preferred candidate (if it is not listed).
  An alternative method that is still paper-based known as ballot letters is used in Israel, where polling booths contain a tray with ballots for each party running in the elections; the ballots are marked with the letter(s) assigned to that party. Voters are given an envelope into which they put the ballot of the party they wish to vote for, before placing the envelope in the ballot box. The same system is also implemented in Latvia.
  Machine voting
  Machine voting uses voting machines, which may be manual (e.g. lever machines) or electronic.
  Online voting
  Some countries allow people to vote online. Estonia was one of the first countries to use online voting: it was first used in their 2005 local elections.
  Postal voting
  Many countries allow postal voting, where voters are sent a ballot and return it by post.