Electronic Voting Machine using 8051

Description: Electronic voting machine has now days become an effective tool for voting. It ensures flawless voting and thus has become more widespread. It ensures people about their vote being secured. It avoids any kind of malpractice and invalid votes. Also such kind of system becomes more economical as consequent expenditure incurred on manpower is saved. It is also convenient on the part of voter, as he has to just press one key whichever belongs to his candidates.

Block Diagram: 

Description in detail: The “ Electronic Voting Machine “ basically consists of four main blocks; these are keypad, micro controller, display and control switches 

1) Keypad: Keypad is basically a 4 X 4 matrix keypad. Thus it has one key specified for one candidate. This block is used in both voting and counting mode, in voting mode key of respective candidate is pressed, the corresponding signal is sensed by micro controller. In counting mode this keypad is used to check the votes of respective candidate. The key given for candidate is pressed and micro controller senses the corresponding signal. 

2) Micro controller: Micro controller senses the signal given from switches and decides the mode of operation in voting mode it increments the data for corresponding key i.e. respective candidate as well as it sends signal to display block to indicate one key is pressed. In counting mode micro controllers fetches data from memory location and send it to display devices. 

3) LCD: Liquid Crystal Display which is commonly known as LCD is an Alphanumeric Display it means that it can display Alphabets, Numbers as well as special symbols thus LCD is a user friendly Display device which can be used for displaying various messages unlike seven segment display which can display only numbers and some of the alphabets. The only disadvantage of LCD over seven segment is that seven segment is robust display and be visualized from a longer distance as compared to LCD. Here I have used 16 x 2 Alphanumeric Display which means on this display I can display two lines with maximum of 16 characters in one line. 

4) Control switches: There are three control switches:

I. Clear Votes. II. Controller switch. III. Total Votes

Operation or Working of Project: 

1] Power on: When supply is turned on RED LED glows. 

2] Mode selection: 

i. Voting mode: toggle switch on VCC 

ii. Counting mode: toggle switch on GND. 

Voting Mode: When toggle switch is in voting mode “Voting mode” is displayed followed by “Please vote”. After a vote being given, “Please wait for authority switch” is displayed and again enable for voting after Control switch being pressed by the voting Authority. 

Counting Mode: When toggle switch is in counting mode “Counting mode” in displayed on the screen, and total number of votes to respective candidate can be displayed on the screen by pressing the respective key assigned to them. 

3] Clear mode: Press clear switch when all entries are required to be erased. Clear switch should be pressed before voting procedure. 

4] Buzzer indication: Pressing of key in voting mode is indicated by a buzzer sound. 

5] Controller switch: This switch is provided for enabling the keypad in voting mode. This switch is under the control of voting authority.

Advantages: 

1. It is economical

2. Less manpower required

3. Time conscious, as less time required for voting & counting

4. Avoids invalid voting

5. Saves transportation cost due to its compact size

6. Convenient on the part of voter 

Application:

This could be used for voting purpose at any required place.