Voting Matters
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Black Box Voting Ballot Tampering in the 21St Century
This free internet version is available at www.BlackBoxVoting.org Black Box Voting — © 2004 Bev Harris Rights reserved to Talion Publishing/ Black Box Voting ISBN 1-890916-90-0. You can purchase copies of this book at www.Amazon.com. Black Box Voting Ballot Tampering in the 21st Century By Bev Harris Talion Publishing / Black Box Voting This free internet version is available at www.BlackBoxVoting.org Contents © 2004 by Bev Harris ISBN 1-890916-90-0 Jan. 2004 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever except as provided for by U.S. copyright law. For information on this book and the investigation into the voting machine industry, please go to: www.blackboxvoting.org Black Box Voting 330 SW 43rd St PMB K-547 • Renton, WA • 98055 Fax: 425-228-3965 • [email protected] • Tel. 425-228-7131 This free internet version is available at www.BlackBoxVoting.org Black Box Voting © 2004 Bev Harris • ISBN 1-890916-90-0 Dedication First of all, thank you Lord. I dedicate this work to my husband, Sonny, my rock and my mentor, who tolerated being ignored and bored and galled by this thing every day for a year, and without fail, stood fast with affection and support and encouragement. He must be nuts. And to my father, who fought and took a hit in Germany, who lived through Hitler and saw first-hand what can happen when a country gets suckered out of democracy. And to my sweet mother, whose an- cestors hosted a stop on the Underground Railroad, who gets that disapproving look on her face when people don’t do the right thing. -
Election Funding for 2020 and Beyond, Cont
Issue 64 | November-December 2015 can•vass (n.) Compilation of election Election Funding for 2020 returns and validation of the outcome that forms and Beyond the basis of the official As jurisdictions across the country are preparing for 2016’s results by a political big election, subdivision. election—2020 and beyond. This is especially true when it comes to the equipment used for casting and tabulating —U.S. Election Assistance Commission: Glossary of votes. Key Election Terminology Voting machines are aging. A September report by the Brennan Center found that 43 states are using some voting machines that will be at least 10 years old in 2016. Fourteen states are using equipment that is more than 15 years old. The bipartisan Presidential Commission on Election Admin- istration dubbed this an “impending crisis.” To purchase new equipment, jurisdictions require at least two years lead time before a big election. They need enough time to purchase a system, test new equipment and try it out first in a smaller election. No one wants to change equip- ment (or procedures) in a big presidential election, if they can help it. Even in so-called off-years, though, it’s tough to find time between elections to adequately prepare for a new voting system. As Merle King, executive director of the Center for Election Systems at Kennesaw State University, puts it, “Changing a voting system is like changing tires on a bus… without stopping.” So if elec- tion officials need new equipment by 2020, which is true in the majority of jurisdictions in the country, they must start planning now. -
Vote Center Training
8/17/2021 Vote Center Training 1 Game Plan for This Section • Component is Missing • Paper Jam • Problems with the V-Drive • Voter Status • Signature Mismatch • Fleeing Voters • Handling Emergencies 2 1 8/17/2021 Component Is Missing • When the machine boots up in the morning, you might find that one of the components is Missing. • Most likely, this is a connectivity problem between the Verity equipment and the Oki printer. • Shut down the machine. • Before you turn it back on, make sure that everything is plugged in. • Confirm that the Oki printer is full of ballot stock and not in sleep mode. • Once everything looks connected and stocked, turn the Verity equipment back on. 3 Paper Jam • Verify whether the ballot was counted—if it was, the screen will show an American flag. If not, you will see an error message. • Call the Elections Office—you will have to break the Red Sticker Seal on the front door of the black ballot box. • Release the Scanner and then tilt it up so that the voter can see the underside of the machine. Do not look at or touch the ballot unless the voter asks you to do so. • Ask the voter to carefully remove the ballot from the bottom of the Scanner, using both hands. • If the ballot was not counted, ask the voter to check for any rips or tears on the ballot. If there are none, then the voter may re-scan the ballot. • If the ballot is damaged beyond repair, spoil that ballot and re-issue the voter a new ballot. -
Vote Center Operations Handbook
VOTE CENTER HOTLINE OPERATIONS TELEPHONE NUMBERS HANDBOOK Staffing/Supplies/Vote Centers/ Emergency Situation (Observers) Assistance: (559) 600-1620 Prepared By: Brandi Orth, County Clerk/Registrar of Voters IT Assistance: 2221 Kern St (559) 600-3028 Fresno, CA 93721 DFM Lite Support/Procedures CONSOLIDATED Phonebank NOVEMBER 3, 2020 (559) 600-0858 GENERAL ELECTION ● Call Staffing/Supplies/Vote Centers/ Emergency Situation Assistance for: Vote Center worker issues, missing supplies, running low on supplies, facility issues ● Call IT Assistance for: Issues with the ImageCast Evolution Tabulator, ImageCast X Touchscreen units, Triage Tablets or Mobile Ballot Printing; connectivity or power issues; Username/Password problems; Assistance precincting addresses ● DFM Lite Support/Procedures Phonebank for: Issues finding voters in the voter look-up (DFM Lite), CVR questions, procedural questions, or assistance with incorrectly issued ballots TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................ 7 ELECTION DAY CHECKLIST & INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE OPENING ..................... 11 Quick Reference Check List for Opening Polls ................................................... 13 Oath and Payroll Form ........................................................................................ 14 Breaks ................................................................................................................. 15 Setting up the ImageCast Evolution -
BRNOVICH V. DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE
(Slip Opinion) OCTOBER TERM, 2020 1 Syllabus NOTE: Where it is feasible, a syllabus (headnote) will be released, as is being done in connection with this case, at the time the opinion is issued. The syllabus constitutes no part of the opinion of the Court but has been prepared by the Reporter of Decisions for the convenience of the reader. See United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co., 200 U. S. 321, 337. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES Syllabus BRNOVICH, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF ARIZONA, ET AL. v. DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE ET AL. CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT No. 19–1257. Argued March 2, 2021—Decided July 1, 2021* Arizona law generally makes it very easy to vote. Voters may cast their ballots on election day in person at a traditional precinct or a “voting center” in their county of residence. Ariz. Rev. Stat. §16–411(B)(4). Arizonans also may cast an “early ballot” by mail up to 27 days before an election, §§16–541, 16–542(C), and they also may vote in person at an early voting location in each county, §§16–542(A), (E). These cases involve challenges under §2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) to aspects of the State’s regulations governing precinct-based election- day voting and early mail-in voting. First, Arizonans who vote in per- son on election day in a county that uses the precinct system must vote in the precinct to which they are assigned based on their address. See §16–122; see also §16–135. -
Election Day Poll Watching Guidelines
ELECTION DAY - POLL WATCHING GUIDELINES The election process is a public affair and anyone who wishes may observe. However, the vote of the individual citizen is secret, and no one may interfere with a voter's right to cast a secret ballot. Members of the precinct boards are sworn election officials of the County of Orange and have complete responsibility for conducting all phases of the election in their precinct. Certain standards are expected of observers: Any person who in any manner interferes with the officers holding an election or conducting a canvass, or with the voters lawfully exercising their rights of voting at an election, as to prevent the election or canvass from being fairly held and lawfully conducted, is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months or two or three years. § 18502 The election must be orderly. Do not talk in a loud voice, cause confusion, or congregate inside the polls. Do not ask to use the telephone or other facilities. Only voters engaged in receiving, preparing, or depositing their ballots and persons authorized by the precinct board to keep order and enforce the law may be permitted to be within the voting booth area before the closing of the polls. § 14221 (a) Only members of the precinct board, and persons while signing their names on the roster, shall be permitted, during the hours within which voting is in progress, to sit at the desk or table used by the precinct board. (b) Any person may inspect the roster while voting is in progress and while votes are being counted. -
California Gubernatorial Recall Election Administration Guidance
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.| SECRETARY OF STATE | STATE OF CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS DIVISION th th 1500 11 Street, 5 Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814 | Tel 916.657.2166 | Fax 916.653.3214 | www.sos.ca.gov REVISED JULY 16, 2021 ELECTION ADMINISTRATION GUIDANCE RELATED TO THE SEPTEMBER 14, 2021, CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RECALL ELECTION Table of Contents I. Conducting the Election • In-person Voting Opportunities • Vote-by-Mail Ballot Drop-off Opportunities • Local Election Consolidation II. Voting Opportunities • Determination of Locations and Public Notice and Comment Period • SB 152/Section 1604 Waiver Process • Appointments • Drive-through Locations • Accessibility at In-person Locations • Polling Place Materials • Polling Locations - State and Local Government Facilities III. County Voter Information Guides • Preparation and Mailing • Content IV. Vote-By-Mail Ballots • Ballot Layout and Format Requirements • Ballot Tint and Watermark • Mailing • Tracking • Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail (RAVBM) • Identification Envelope • Retrieval • Return (Postmark +7) • Processing V. Public Health and Safety VI. Poll Workers • Secretary of State • Counties VII. Voter Education and Outreach • Secretary of State • Counties REV 7/16/2021 VIII. Language Access • Secretary of State • Counties IX. Reporting Page 2 of 18 INTRODUCTION The Secretary of State issues this guidance document for the uniform conduct of the September 14, 2021, California Gubernatorial Recall Election. This guidance takes into consideration the recent enactment of Senate Bill 152 (SB 152) (Chapter 34 of the Statutes of 2021), which can be found at: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB152 I. CONDUCTING THE ELECTION There are six different methods by which counties can conduct the September 14, 2021, California Gubernatorial Recall Election. -
Absentee Voting and Vote by Mail
CHapteR 7 ABSENTEE VOTING AND VOTE BY MAIL Introduction some States the request is valid for one or more years. In other States, an application must be com- Ballots are cast by mail in every State, however, the pleted and submitted for each election. management of absentee voting and vote by mail varies throughout the nation, based on State law. Vote by Mail—all votes are cast by mail. Currently, There are many similarities between the two since Oregon is the only vote by mail State; however, both involve transmitting paper ballots to voters and several States allow all-mail ballot voting options receiving voted ballots at a central election office for ballot initiatives. by a specified date. Many of the internal procedures for preparation and mailing of ballots, ballot recep- Ballot Preparation and Mailing tion, ballot tabulation and security are similar when One of the first steps in preparing to issue ballots applied to all ballots cast by mail. by mail is to determine personnel and facility and The differences relate to State laws, rules and supply needs. regulations that control which voters can request a ballot by mail and specific procedures that must be Facility Needs: followed to request a ballot by mail. Rules for when Adequate secure space for packaging the outgoing ballot requests must be received, when ballots are ballot envelopes should be reviewed prior to every mailed to voters, and when voted ballots must be election, based on the expected quantity of ballots returned to the election official—all defer according to be processed. Depending upon the number of ballot to State law. -
Contingent Election of the President and Vice President by Congress: Perspectives and Contemporary Analysis
Contingent Election of the President and Vice President by Congress: Perspectives and Contemporary Analysis Updated October 6, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R40504 Contingent Election of the President and Vice President by Congress Summary The 12th Amendment to the Constitution requires that presidential and vice presidential candidates gain “a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed” in order to win election. With a total of 538 electors representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia, 270 electoral votes is the “magic number,” the arithmetic majority necessary to win the presidency. What would happen if no candidate won a majority of electoral votes? In these circumstances, the 12th Amendment also provides that the House of Representatives would elect the President, and the Senate would elect the Vice President, in a procedure known as “contingent election.” Contingent election has been implemented twice in the nation’s history under the 12th Amendment: first, to elect the President in 1825, and second, the Vice President in 1837. In a contingent election, the House would choose among the three candidates who received the most electoral votes. Each state, regardless of population, casts a single vote for President in a contingent election. Representatives of states with two or more Representatives would therefore need to conduct an internal poll within their state delegation to decide which candidate would receive the state’s single vote. A majority of state votes, 26 or more, is required to elect, and the House must vote “immediately” and “by ballot.” Additional precedents exist from 1825, but they would not be binding on the House in a contemporary election. -
Ballot Casting Assurance
Ballot Casting Assurance Ben Adida C. Andrew Neff MIT VoteHere Abstract Universal Verifiability. Since the early 1990s, many cryptographic voting protocols have been proposed to We propose that voting protocols be judged in part on provide universal verifiability [11, 6, 1, 9]. In these ballot casting assurance, a property which complements schemes, any observer can verify that only registered universal verifiability. Some protocols already support voters cast ballots and that cast ballots are tallied cor- ballot casting assurance, though the concept has not re- rectly. Universal verifiability uses cryptography to re- ceived adequate explicit emphasis. Ballot casting assur- store the bulletin board of yore. Ballots are encrypted ance captures two well known voting concepts – cast and posted along with the voter’s plaintext identity. Uni- as intended, and recorded as cast – into one end-to-end versal verifiability thus provides a public tally, patching property: Alice, the voter, should obtain immediate and a large portion of the audit-ability hole caused by the se- direct assurance that her intended vote has “made it” into cret ballot. the tally. We review Neff’s scheme, MarkPledge, and show that Ballot Casting Assurance. Universal verifiability it provides ballot casting assurance. We also briefly show does not provide complete audit-ability. In addition to how Chaum’s “Punchscan” system also provides ballot knowing that all votes were correctly tallied, Alice would casting assurance, though under more complicated de- like direct verification that her vote was properly cast and ployment assumptions. We show how ballot casting as- recorded into this tally. We define this principle as ballot surance opens the door to realistic failure detection and casting assurance and argue that it, too, fills an audit- recovery in the middle of an election, a topic which has ability gap left by the secret ballot. -
Security Evaluation of ES&S Voting Machines and Election
Security Evaluation of ES&S Voting Machines and Election Management System Adam Aviv Pavol Cernˇ y´ Sandy Clark Eric Cronin Gaurav Shah Micah Sherr Matt Blaze faviv,cernyp,saender,ecronin,gauravsh,msherr,[email protected] Department of Computer and Information Science University of Pennsylvania Abstract EVEREST was the first major study of ES&S voting sys- tems, despite the system’s popularity (ES&S claims to be This paper summarizes a security analysis of the DRE the world’s largest e-voting systems vendor [1], support- and optical scan voting systems manufactured by Election ing more than 67 million voter registrations with 97,000 Systems and Software (ES&S), as used in Ohio (and many touchscreen voting machines installed in 20 states and other jurisdictions inside and outside the US). We found 30,000 optical ballot readers present in 43 states [4]), and numerous exploitable vulnerabilities in nearly every com- only the second comprehensive study that examined all ponent of the ES&S system. These vulnerabilities enable components – from backend registration systems to fron- attacks that could alter or forge precinct results, install tend ballot casting – of any electronic voting system. In a corrupt firmware, and erase audit records. Our analysis ten week period, our seven-member team was tasked with focused on architectural issues in which the interactions analyzing the nearly 670,000 lines of source code that between various software and hardware modules leads to comprise the ES&S system, encompassing twelve pro- systemic vulnerabilities that do not appear to be easily gramming languages and five hardware platforms1. -
Polling Places and Vote Centers Is Part of a Series of Brochures Designed to Highlight and Summarize
U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION POLLING PLACES AND VOTE CENTERS October 2007 UIDE G ANAGEMENT M www.eac.gov Q QUICK START MANAGEMENT GUIDE Th e Quick Start Management Guide for Polling Places and Vote Centers is part of a series of brochures designed to highlight and summarize ENTERS the information contained in the chapters of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) C Election Management Guidelines (EMG). Th e goal of the EMG is to provide a collection of OTE election management guidelines, consolidated V into one document, to assist State and local election offi cials eff ectively manage and AND administer elections. Th ese guidelines are solely designed to serve as a source of information for election offi cials and not as requirements by which they must abide. Th e EAC expects the LACES EMG to be completed in 2008. However, due P to the urgent need for election management resources, EMG chapters and Quick Starts are released as they are completed. OLLING P Th e content of the EMG and the Quick Start Management Guides has been developed in collaboration with State and local election offi cials and other election professionals who have fi rst-hand experience managing elections. Th e EAC is grateful for their participation and ensuring the guidelines are practical and applicable for jurisdictions regardless of their size and resources. Th e EMG and the Quick Starts are available online at www.eac.gov. 2 POLLING PLACES AND V OTE CENTERS www.eac.gov INTRODUCTION Historically, a polling place has been a building used for voting purposes on Election Day.