An electro-optic display includes an electro-optic medium, a pixel electrode for applying an electric field to the medium and a column electrode associated with the pixel electrode. To reduce power consumption, when it is necessary to change the voltage on the column electrode from a first value to a second value to change the optical state of the electro-optic medium, the column electrode voltage is first changed to a third value intermediate the first and second values to permit charge to flow to or from the column electrode, and thereafter the column electrode voltage is changed from the third voltage to the second voltage.