Voter information system

• US 20040243573A1
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vincent M. Keenan
• Original Assignee: Vincent M. Keenan
• Inventors: Keenan, Vincent M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/903 Querying for retrieval from the web G06F16/953
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 13/00 Voting apparatus

Abstract

A method for providing voters with election information specific to voter polling location. A voter registration file is queried for a name of a registered voter in response to an input from a user. The user is queried for additional narrowing information through a series of single criterion iterations each time the query renders more than one result. The user is notified of multiple results after each single criterion iteration is processed to show the progress of the initial query. The user is granted access to a information page if the user is found in the voter registration file. The information page presents the user with relevant information based on the user polling location.

Claims

1. A method for providing voter information comprising:

querying a user as to an identification data item;

checking the identification data item against a database that has a field corresponding to a set of polling locations to select one polling location to which the identification data item is assigned;

displaying an information page relating to the one polling location if the identification data item is found in the database, the information page presenting the user with relevant information to the one polling location.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving a user polling location in a polling location database; and

presenting the user with an option from the information page to view a sample ballot that the user will encounter when voting on election day.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the user with an option from the information page to view voter information, candidate information, party information, campaign information, candidate web sites, and candidate submissions including biographical information provided by the individual candidates.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the candidate information is directly updated by administration personnel in each municipality via a secure connection to a database.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the user with an option to view at least one of a regional election overview, voting machine instructions, and a drill-down mapping system.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the user with an option to retrieve at least one map from a map database directing the user to a polling place.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the user with an option to view a listing of events retrieved from an election events database.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the election events database comprises information on at least one of elections, town hall meetings, debates, and appearances of candidates.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the user with an option to retrieve operational instructions on a voting machine that the user will encounter on election day.

10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the user with an option to view information from a ballot database, the information comprising at least one of links to candidate submissions, links to candidate web sites, and links to candidate campaign finance information.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the information from the ballot database may include messages in streaming video format.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the displaying step further comprises:

presenting the user with an option on the information page to display a sample ballot that the user will encounter when voting on election day;

presenting the user with an option on the information page to display campaign websites, candidate submissions including biographical information provided by individual candidates; and

presenting the user with an option on the information page to display at least one of a regional election overview, a set of voting machine instructions, and a drill-down mapping system.

13. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

assembling a polling place based database for a region having multiple jurisdictions that are divided into different subdivisions, wherein the subdivisions may be in one or more jurisdictions.

14. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the user with contact information for a person with whom the user should register to vote if the user name cannot be found in the voter registration file.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein a secure system is implemented for data exchange and information is updated in the voter registration file.

16. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

offering access to the blind by allowing the user to convert text-to-voice and voice-to-text.

17. The method according to claim 1 wherein the information page is dynamically generated based on the jurisdiction of the user recorded in the voter registration file and a system presenting the information page need not store a unique ballot for every user in the voter registration file.

18. The method according to claim 1 wherein the information page is pre-calculated for statistical correlations and assembled according to the fastest possible construction.

19. The method according to claim 1 wherein the voter registration file is used for a constituent lookup to allow legislators to perform a voter query to know the precinct in which registered voters are assigned.

20. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the user with an option to view educational information designed to teach about a political system and a voting process.

21. The method according to claim 20 further comprising:

allowing the user to participate in an online mock election.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the information page comprises a list of current officials.

23. A method for providing voters with election information specific to voter polling location comprising:

querying a voter registration file for a name of a registered voter in response to an input from a user;

querying the user for additional narrowing information through a series iterations each time the voter registration file query renders more than one result;

notifying the user of multiple results after each iteration is processed

to show the progress of the original query; and

dynamically generating a information page if the user is found in the voter registration file, wherein the information page presents the user with relevant information based on the user polling location.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the method employs a multiple query system that passes information about user attributes along a back end and does not compromise the privacy of any information contained in the voter registration file.

25. The method according to claim 23 wherein results of the queries are indicated only through nonpersonal indicators to show the progress of the original query after each single criterion iteration is processed.

26. A voter information system comprising:

a voter database containing a record of all registered voters in a defined area;

a polling place identifier database that classifies the registered voters according to a polling place to which each of the registered voters is assigned;

an elected officials database that provides information about currently elected officials;

an office database that provides information about each office that may be held by an elected official;

an events database that provides information relating to an election calendar;

a candidate database that provides information about candidates running for office;

a ballot initiatives database that provides information about ballot initiatives; and

a map database that provides maps or directions to the registered voters to assist the registered voters in finding the polling places assigned to them, wherein;

(i) the voter database and the polling place identifier database are accessible online; and

(ii) the elected officials database, the office database, the events database, the candidate database, the ballot initiatives database, and the map database are accessible online providing geographically targeted information to the voters registered in the voter database based on their polling location.

27. The voter information system according to claim 26 further comprising a secure access link to the voter database files and the polling place identifier database files.

28. The voter information system according to claim 26 wherein a secure service provides read/write access to authorized users having secure access to one of the databases.

29. A method for providing voters with election information identified by voter polling location comprising:

finding a single voter in a voter registration file based upon information supplied by the user about the user without revealing selected information about the user in the voter registration file being searched; and

presenting the user with selected public information about the user polling location based on the user'"'"'s jurisdiction.

30. A voter information system comprising:

a registered voter database containing a record of all registered voters in a defined area and a polling place identifier database that classifies the registered voters according to a polling place to which each of the registered voters is assigned; and

at least one of;

(i) an elected officials database that provides information about currently elected officials;

(ii) an office database that provides information about each office that may be held by an elected official;

(iii) an events database that provides information relating to an election calendar;

(iv) a candidate database that provides information about candidates running for office;

(v) a ballot initiatives database that provides information about ballot initiatives; and

(vi) a map database that provides maps or directions to the registered voters to assist the registered voters in finding the polling places assigned to them;

wherein the system is available online and provides geographically targeted information to the voters registered in the registered voter database based on their polling place.