India votes: A look at the world's largest and most vibrant election

(Image credit: (REUTERS/Himanshu Sharma))

India's elections are the biggest democratic exercise in history. With 815 million people registered to vote, the world's largest democracy will likely have more ballots cast this year than were tallied in the last six U.S. presidential elections combined, according to the BBC.

The elections are being held over a five-week period ending on May 12. (For more background on the elections' stakes and players, click here.) And while we're weeks away from knowing the results, it's surely not too early to be impressed by the color and diversity of the Indian electorate. Behold:

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Lauren Hansen produces The Weekâ€™s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.