Abstract: A system is provided for improved quality assurance (QA) in remote-access elections by a QA unit that evaluates an election service provider (ESP) that tallies votes, each of which includes a vote-identification number (VIN) and a vote content. The QA unit assures a likelihood that no votes have been deleted, inserted or changed by the ESP. The QA unit does this by allocating QA VINs and voting QA votes and then checking the ESP's report of all VINs included in the tally and the content of all QA votes. The ESP, if unaware of which votes are QA votes and which are voter voters, is prevented from deleting, inserting, or changing votes without risk of detection by the check of the QA votes. The system includes capability of ensuring defined confidence levels for a given quantity of voters and an expected voter turnout by incorporation of a suitable number of QA VINs.

Abstract: A system is provided for improved elections which may separate the identity of the voter from the content of the vote she casts. The system may be implemented using electronic or other communication methods. Separate entities may be used to implement the system, with one entity acting as a member services system, and another entity acting as an election services system. The member services system may control voter information for all members of a group eligible to vote in a specific election. The election services system may control the voting process, including receiving votes from members, without having access to the voter information controlled by the member services system. The two entities might be configured so that no single person or organization may connect the voter information to a particular vote. This separation of voter information from information in the members' votes may comply with various government regulations relating to elections.

Abstract: A method for a user to automatically order, unlock and pay for a vendor software application via an automated telephony and/or Internet system. The user requests access to a vendor software application. If access is not allowed, the user transmits a computing device identifier identifying the computing device on which the vendor software application is executing, a vendor software product distribution identifier, and a vendor identifier to a aserver. Pricing data is provided to the user, and payment for the vendor software application is processed before access is granted thereto. After payment processing, the server then transmits a password to the client based on the identifiers. Thereafter, the user enters the password to gain access to and execute the vendor software application to which access was previously denied.