In the mid-1970s, POY custom designed an electronic voting machine (left corner of table). At right, former POY director Angus McDougall moderates the judging panel in 1977. Since that time, the vote-counter has been used by hundred of judges for POYi and the College Photographer of the Year competitions. During week-long stretches, some of the most legendary photojournalists and editors in histrory have bonded with the ergonomically INcorrect gizmos. Photo top:The rework project keeps the classic outer shell but undergoes a complete interior upgrade with new wiring, switches, and software to track and record voting data.

Above, electronics engineer Will OBrien maps the internal workings of the POYi voting machine.


(Photos by Michelle Peltier, POYi staff coordinator)