Disclosed herein is an electronic voting system and methods, which, among other things, provides increased transparency to the public and verification for the individual voters regarding the tallying of their respective votes. A business method involves the use of general purpose computer hardware together with a software platform, made up of one or more open-source or proprietary certified software programs, including a voting software program. A voting record can be made available electronically, thereby eliminating the need to provide a voter with a paper ballot. A voting record identifier is generated without use of, or reference to, voter identity. The voting record identifier is provided to the voter, such that the voter can access a record of his ballot selections and vote number sequence. In addition, a biometric authentication mechanism is provided to reduce, or eliminate, the potential that a voter is able to vote more than once. Novel business methods further include supplying the general purpose computers to voting administrators, processing them and re-purposing the machines by placing them in the hands of eleemosynary institutions or organizations which promote or manage educational services, particularly for children.