Custom printed, voter verified ballots with fixed range input
First Claim
1. A voting method enabling verification by voters of their votes cast during an election comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing at a voting location at least one computing unit that is responsive to a fixed range of input codes from an electronic input device, at least one printer device, and a ballot listing all voting options;
(b) assigning a first voting option to a first input code and a second voting option to a second input code;
(c) permitting each voter to use an electronic input device to select at least one voting option;
(d) upon determining that the voter has selected the first voting option using the printer device to print a record of the vote cast for the first voting option in indicia readable by the voter, election judges, and automated scanners;
(e) upon determining that the voter has selected the second voting option using the printer device to print a record of the vote cast for the second voting option in the indicia that is readable by the voter, election judges, and automated scanners; and
(f) offering the voter an opportunity to read and verify the accuracy of the printed record.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for creating a voter verified printed record of votes cast by each voter during an election. The printed record normally includes only the names of the candidates for whom the voter has voted in a form that is easily readable by both humans and machine. This unambiguous printed ballot makes it easy for a voter to verify the accuracy of his or her intended vote and can subsequently be used to cast the voter'"'"'s official vote or saved to provide an audit trail for subsequent confirmation of the electronic tally. Moreover, techniques are provided to minimize or eliminate the need for reprogramming of the electronic equipment prior to each election using one or more fixed range inputs that are electronically mapped to voting options available for each election.
47 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A voting method enabling verification by voters of their votes cast during an election comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing at a voting location at least one computing unit that is responsive to a fixed range of input codes from an electronic input device, at least one printer device, and a ballot listing all voting options;
(b) assigning a first voting option to a first input code and a second voting option to a second input code;
(c) permitting each voter to use an electronic input device to select at least one voting option;
(d) upon determining that the voter has selected the first voting option using the printer device to print a record of the vote cast for the first voting option in indicia readable by the voter, election judges, and automated scanners;
(e) upon determining that the voter has selected the second voting option using the printer device to print a record of the vote cast for the second voting option in the indicia that is readable by the voter, election judges, and automated scanners; and
(f) offering the voter an opportunity to read and verify the accuracy of the printed record. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. The voting method set forth in 9 including the step of:
(j) allowing the voter to select the language in which the audio recording will be played.
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11. A voter verifiable voting system for recording votes cast during an election that has a plurality of voting choices to select between, comprising:
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a computing unit with program instructions and electronic memory;
an input device operatively connected to the computing for a voter to select one of the plurality of voting;
a printer device responsive to the computing unit to print indicia that is indicative of the selected one of the plurality of voting choices in a manner creating a tangible record, the printed indicia comprising text, the text having a configuration that is dependent upon the selected one of the voting choices; and
a record keeping container in which the voter verifiable records are deposited after the voter has had an opportunity to view the record and to verify therefrom that the text of the indicia is indicative of the voter'"'"'s selected choices. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 17)
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15. A voter verifiable voting system for recording votes cast during an election, comprising:
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a vote selection unit including;
a computing unit with program instructions and electronic memory;
an input device for a voter to input voting options; and
an output device to output a code generated by the computing unit wherein the code represents all the voting options selected by the voter in a format such that the selected options are not readable by the voter or election officials; and
a vote casting unit including;
an input device for inputting the code outputted by the vote selection unit;
a computing unit with program instructions and electronic memory operable to identify from the code all the voting options selected by the voter;
a printer for printing a voter verifiable record of the voting options selected by the voter in a font that is readable by the voter; and
a record keeping container in which the voter verifiable records are deposited after the voter has had an opportunity to verify that the record is an accurate representation of the voter'"'"'s selections. - View Dependent Claims (16, 18)
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Specification