Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for adjudicating votes made on voter-marked paper ballots. Voter-marked paper ballots may be scanned to obtain optical image data of the voter-marked paper ballots. The optical image may be analyzed to determine the votes contained in the ballot for tabulation purposes. One or more votes on the ballot may be identified as requiring adjudication by an election official. Adjudication information, according to various embodiments, is appended to the optical images of the voter-marked paper ballots such that the image of the ballot and the image of the adjudication information may be viewed in an optical image. The optical image may be stored in a file format that allows the ballot image and the appended adjudication information to be viewed using readily available image viewers.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for adjudicating votes made on voter-marked paper ballots. Voter-marked paper ballots may be scanned to obtain optical image data of the voter-marked paper ballots. The optical image may be analyzed to determine the votes contained in the ballot for tabulation purposes. One or more votes on the ballot may be identified as requiring adjudication by an election official. Adjudication information, according to various embodiments, is appended to the optical images of the voter-marked paper ballots such that the image of the ballot and the image of the adjudication information may be viewed in an optical image. The optical image may be stored in a file format that allows the ballot image and the appended adjudication information to be viewed using readily available image viewers.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for adjudicating votes made on voter-marked paper ballots. Voter-marked paper ballots may be scanned to obtain optical image data of the voter-marked paper ballots. The optical image may be analyzed to determine the votes contained in the ballot for tabulation purposes. One or more votes on the ballot may be identified as requiring adjudication by an election official. Adjudication information, according to various embodiments, is appended to the optical images of the voter-marked paper ballots such that the image of the ballot and the image of the adjudication information may be viewed in an optical image. The optical image may be stored in a file format that allows the ballot image and the appended adjudication information to be viewed using readily available image viewers.

Abstract: A ballot authentication system uses a plurality of security features embedded in and/or printed on the paper stock used to print a ballot on which election-choice-information is printed and a voting unit that includes at least a scanner that is configured to detect the plurality of security features that are embedded in and/or printed on the ballot and authenticate the ballot based on the read information. The voting unit of the ballot authentication system can be configured to verify and confirm that the various security features embedded in and/or printed on the ballot is correct for a particular precinct of an election. The security features of the ballot authentication system can include static, dynamic and data security features.

Abstract: A system and device facilitate the storage and tracking of warehoused voting machines. A system includes a host computer, a plurality of voting machines that are connected via a network to the host computer, each voting machine having one or both of a wireless communication device and a data port that is coupled to the host computer. The system also includes an election and voting machine preparation portion included in the host computer to manage and/or control the connected voting machines. The election and voting machine preparation portion is configured to manage the status of the connected voting machines, is configured to instruct the voting machines to run self tests, is configured to receive results of the self tests back from the connected voting machines, and is configured to prepare/program the connected voting machines with an election ballot.

Abstract: A ballot processing system and method processes paper ballots, such as by optically scanning or optically reading those ballots. The ballot image processing system corrects for, or is able to differentiate valid voting marks from, ballot printing errors such as skewed printing, incorrect sizing, and speckling. Further, the ballot image processing system, after determining whether each of the voting marks is valid or not, associates audit data with the ballot that corresponds to the decision regarding each voting mark.

Abstract: A voting unit and a ballot transaction processing system for processing a voting session. The voting unit includes an optical ballot scanner and a printer that is capable of printing a non-human readable barcode on ballots that are fed into the voting unit. The ballots are filled out (or cast) by the voter before being inserted into the voting unit. The voter can confirm the voting unit's interpretations of his/her selections on the scanned ballot via a display and confirm that the interpretations are correct via an input section on the voting unit. The ballot transaction processing system is also capable of generating, assigning and communicating to a plurality of voting units a set of unique transaction codes. In so doing, the ballot transaction processing system maintains voter secrecy, prevents ballot stuffing and provides a one-to-one correspondence between images of optically scanned ballots and the ballots themselves.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for adjudicating votes made on voter-marked paper ballots. Voter-marked paper ballots may be scanned to obtain optical image data of the voter-marked paper ballots. The optical image may be analyzed to determine the votes contained in the ballot for tabulation purposes. One or more votes on the ballot may be identified as requiring adjudication by an election official. Adjudication information, according to various embodiments, is appended to the optical images of the voter-marked paper ballots such that the image of the ballot and the image of the adjudication information may be viewed in an optical image. The optical image may be stored in a file format that allows the ballot image and the appended adjudication information to be viewed using readily available image viewers.

Abstract: A ballot authentication system uses a plurality of security features embedded in and/or printed on the paper stock used to print a ballot on which election-choice-information is printed and a voting unit that includes at least a scanner that is configured to detect the plurality of security features that are embedded in and/or printed on the ballot and authenticate the ballot based on the read information. The voting unit of the ballot authentication system can be configured to verify and confirm that the various security features embedded in and/or printed on the ballot is correct for a particular precinct of an election. The security features of the ballot authentication system can include static, dynamic and data security features.

Abstract: A ballot processing system and method processes paper ballots, such as by optically scanning or optically reading those ballots. The ballot image processing system corrects for, or is able to differentiate valid voting marks from, ballot printing errors such as skewed printing, incorrect sizing, and speckling. Further, the ballot image processing system, after determining whether each of the voting marks is valid or not, associates audit data with the ballot that corresponds to the decision regarding each voting mark.

Abstract: A voting unit and a ballot transaction processing system for processing a voting session. The voting unit includes an optical ballot scanner and a printer that is capable of printing a non-human readable barcode on ballots that are fed into the voting unit. The ballots are filled out (or cast) by the voter before being inserted into the voting unit. The voter can confirm the voting unit's interpretations of his/her selections on the scanned ballot via a display and confirm that the interpretations are correct via an input section on the voting unit. The ballot transaction processing system is also capable of generating, assigning and communicating to a plurality of voting units a set of unique transaction codes. In so doing, the ballot transaction processing system maintains voter secrecy, prevents ballot stuffing and provides a one-to-one correspondence between images of optically scanned ballots and the ballots themselves.

Abstract: A system and device facilitate the storage and tracking of warehoused voting machines. A system includes a host computer, a plurality of voting machines that are connected via a network to the host computer, each voting machine having one or both of a wireless communication device and a data port that is coupled to the host computer. The system also includes an election and voting machine preparation portion included in the host computer to manage and/or control the connected voting machines. The election and voting machine preparation portion is configured to manage the status of the connected voting machines, is configured to instruct the voting machines to run self tests, is configured to receive results of the self tests back from the connected voting machines, and is configured to prepare/program the connected voting machines with an election ballot.