Abstract: A voting system comprises a ballot tabulation device that tabulates each of a plurality of paper ballots by determining one or more contest selections marked on the paper ballot and storing the contest selections within a cast vote record (CVR) for the paper ballot. One or more of the paper ballots comprises a provisional ballot on which is printed an identification code that represents or is associated with a voter code assigned to a voter who cast the provisional ballot. During the tabulation process, a direct or indirect link is provided between the CVR and the voter code for the provisional ballot. The voting system also comprises an election management system that identifies the CVR associated with each of one or more inputted voter codes, i.e., the voter codes assigned to voters who have had a change in eligibility status, and updates the total vote count to include or exclude the contest selections stored within that CVR as applicable.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for preserving the anonymity of a provisional ballot cast by a voter in an election whose eligibility to vote in the election is not yet determined comprises including a machine-readable identification marking representing an identification code associated with the voter on the paper card utilized by a voting device associating the identification code represented by the machine-readable identification marking with the contest choices stored in the results database. In this manner, upon a determination that the voter is either eligible or ineligible to vote in the election, the contest choices of the voter can be included in or excluded from, respectively, the results of the election by identifying the identification code associated with the voter and including or excluding, respectively, the contest choices associated with the identification code.

Abstract: A voting system comprises a ballot tabulation device that tabulates each of a plurality of paper ballots by determining one or more contest selections marked on the paper ballot and storing the contest selections within a cast vote record (CVR) for the paper ballot. One or more of the paper ballots comprises a provisional ballot on which is printed an identification code that represents or is associated with a voter code assigned to a voter who cast the provisional ballot. During the tabulation process, a direct or indirect link is provided between the CVR and the voter code for the provisional ballot. The voting system also comprises an election management system that identifies the CVR associated with each of one or more inputted voter codes, i.e., the voter codes assigned to voters who have had a change in eligibility status, and updates the total vote count to include or exclude the contest selections stored within that CVR as applicable.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for preserving the anonymity of a provisional ballot cast by a voter in an election whose eligibility to vote in the election is not yet determined comprises including a machine-readable identification marking representing an identification code associated with the voter on the paper card utilized by a voting device associating the identification code represented by the machine-readable identification marking with the contest choices stored in the results database. In this manner, upon a determination that the voter is either eligible or ineligible to vote in the election, the contest choices of the voter can be included in or excluded from, respectively, the results of the election by identifying the identification code associated with the voter and including or excluding, respectively, the contest choices associated with the identification code.

Abstract: A voting system includes an accessible voting station and a tabulation device. The accessible voting station presents an audio ballot to a voter and receives one or more voting selections entered in response to the audio ballot from the voter. The accessible voting station also prints a ballot that includes the entered voting selections and scans at least a portion of the ballot to determine the voting selections printed thereon. The accessible voting station further presents an audio representation of the scanned voting selections to the voter and receives a confirmation of the audio representation of the scanned voting selections from the voter. The tabulation device tabulates the voting selections printed on the ballot by scanning the printed ballot or receiving voting selection information extracted from the printed ballot from the accessible voting station.

Abstract: An integrated voting system and method for accommodating paper ballots and audio ballots. The voting system includes a voting device operable to scan a paper ballot with one or more marked voting selections and tabulate the marked voting selections. The voting system also includes an accessible voting station in communication with the voting device. The accessible voting station comprises a voting console operable present an audio ballot to a voter via headphones, and receive one or more voting selections entered in response to the audio ballot from the voter. A printer is also provided to print a printed ballot that includes the entered voting selections. The voting device is operable to tabulate the printed voting selections by scanning the printed ballot or receiving voting selection information extracted from the printed ballot from the accessible voting station.

Abstract: A voting system includes an accessible voting station and a tabulation device. The accessible voting station presents an audio ballot to a voter and receives one or more voting selections entered in response to the audio ballot from the voter. The accessible voting station also prints a ballot that includes the entered voting selections and scans at least a portion of the ballot to determine the voting selections printed thereon. The accessible voting station further presents an audio representation of the scanned voting selections to the voter and receives a confirmation of the audio representation of the scanned voting selections from the voter. The tabulation device tabulates the voting selections printed on the ballot by scanning the printed ballot or receiving voting selection information extracted from the printed ballot from the accessible voting station.

Abstract: An integrated voting system and method for accommodating paper ballots and audio ballots. The voting system includes a voting device operable to scan a paper ballot with one or more marked voting selections and tabulate the marked voting selections. The voting system also includes an accessible voting station in communication with the voting device. The accessible voting station comprises a voting console operable present an audio ballot to a voter via headphones, and receive one or more voting selections entered in response to the audio ballot from the voter. A printer is also provided to print a printed ballot that includes the entered voting selections. The voting device is operable to tabulate the printed voting selections by scanning the printed ballot or receiving voting selection information extracted from the printed ballot from the accessible voting station.

Abstract: The lines or stations of a multi-line office telephone system are sequentially examined to detect a hold tone signal of a specified frequency or frequencies on one or more of the lines. The lines are examined for increasingly longer time periods in accordance with the type of energy sensed at each line. If the line is not active or connected in a first brief period, the scanner then proceeds to examine the next line for a hold tone signal. If wide-band energy is not detected on the line in a second, longer period, the examination of the line is terminated and the scan process is continued to the next line. If wide-band energy above a threshold is detected on the line in a third, still longer period, the detected energy is further examined to determine whether this energy includes a valid hold tone signal. If a hold tone signal is detected on a line, the line is scanned again to detect the removal of the hold tone signal therefrom, whereupon a hold status is assigned to the line.

Abstract: A voting system includes a vote head with a plurality of selector switches for actuation by a voter to indicate choices of candidates, bond issues, referenda and other questions. Switches on the vote head control the drive of a film projector for displaying successive frames of election questions and, after all the selections have been made and reviewed, to transfer the voting information to a data center. The data center generates a train of data pulses for passage to the vote head, continually scanning the switches. Signals are returned from the vote head, indicating the change in status of any switch or indicator lamp. The data center is controlled by a program, in hard-wired circuits and in a memory circuit, for regulating the scanning of the vote head and the registration of the votes. The portion of the program unique to the particular election is stored in the memory from a tape prior to the election procedure.