Cast your All-Star ballot, exclusively online and mobile

Balloting is underway for the 86th All-Star Game on July 14 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, with Wednesday's launch of the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot. It begins your annual privilege to decide the starting position players for the American and National Leagues, but there is one big difference now: it's online only.

"Probably better for the environment," Yankees first baseman and two-time All-Star Mark Teixeira said Tuesday on the eve of the first votes.

MLB's All-Star balloting program, which moves forward in a digital world without paper balloting at the ballparks, is the largest of its kind in professional sports. Nearly 160 million ballots have been cast over the past five years, including a record 40.2 million ballots cast in 2012. In addition, more than 300 million votes were submitted in 2014.

You can cast your votes for starters 35 times exclusively at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on computers, tablets and smartphones -- until 11:59 p.m. ET on July 2.

"As we launch our annual tradition of All-Star fan voting, Major League Baseball and the Reds look forward to the upcoming celebration of the Midsummer Classic in a city known for its enduring baseball history," Commissioner Rob Manfred said. "Baseball fans represent the heart of our game, and through All-Star balloting, I am proud to bring the best that our sport has to offer to the great fans and community of Cincinnati this summer."

Details regarding the unveiling of the 2015 AL and NL All-Star teams will be available in the coming weeks. The AL will have nine elected starters via the fan balloting program, while the NL will have eight fan-elected starters. The pitchers and reserves for both squads -- totaling 25 for the NL and 24 for the AL -- will be determined through a combination of Player Ballot choices and selections made by the two All-Star managers -- Bruce Bochy of the Giants and Ned Yost of the Royals.

"I think the love of the All-Star Game starts as a kid," three-time All-Star Evan Longoria of the Rays said before Tuesday's game at Yankee Stadium. "You play the game for fun, and then at the end, some of the guys get rewarded to play a little bit more baseball on an All-Star team. I think that love kind of grows from there. Playing at the highest level, when you get rewarded by the fans or your colleagues to play in a game like that, it means a ton."

Fans may also access the ballot by texting VOTE to 89269 (U.S.) or 101010 (Canada). Or text VOTA for a ballot in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply. Up to five messages. No purchase required. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for info.

Following the announcement of the 2015 All-Stars, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the last player selection for each league's roster. More than 480 million votes for this have been cast in the past 13 years.

On Tuesday, July 14, watch the 2015 All-Star Game live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2015 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote.

During the voting period, the ballot will be available in English and Spanish, and will offer audio CAPTCHA functionality for visually-impaired fans. Traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese versions of the online ballot will be available in May. Banco BHD will sponsor online All-Star balloting in the Dominican Republic, making Spanish-language ballots available to fans in the Dominican Republic via LasMayores.com, the official Spanish-language Web site of Major League Baseball.

MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of All-Star Week festivities.

The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.