Electronic voting apparatus, system and method
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. Voting apparatus comprising:
- a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions;
a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing for each voting session a voting record including the voting selections;
a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier for the plural voting sessions; and
means coupled to said processor for storing a voting indicia and the voting session identifier for a given voting session in a tangible medium separate from said memory and associated with the given voting session.
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Abstract
A voting apparatus, system and method may provide data redundancy in that each vote is recorded by two or more independent and verifiable means: i.e. by recording in one or more electronic memory devices included in the voting machine and/or system, and/or by recording in the memory of a smart card separate from the voting machine and/or system, and/or by a confirmatory printed record for each voter. The system may utilize a unique anonymous voting session identifier to maintain the anonymity of the votes and voters.
152 Citations
154 Claims
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1. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions; a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing for each voting session a voting record including the voting selections; a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier for the plural voting sessions; and means coupled to said processor for storing a voting indicia and the voting session identifier for a given voting session in a tangible medium separate from said memory and associated with the given voting session. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48)
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2. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions; a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing for each voting session a voting record including the voting selections; wherein the voting information for each contest of a voting session includes possible voting selections for at least one candidate and/or at least one question, and further includes possible voting selections for at least one of a “
no vote”
, a “
skip contest” and
an “
abstain”
;a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier for the plural voting sessions; and wherein said processor requires selection of at least one of the possible voting selections before proceeding from a present contest to a next contest and/or to ending a voting session. - View Dependent Claims (36, 38)
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3. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier, wherein the voting information includes a database of a plurality of voting ballots, ones of the plurality of voting ballots corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of voting jurisdictions; means for entering a voter identifier including a representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions, wherein said processor is responsive to the representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions for selecting from the database voting ballots for the one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions corresponding thereto; a voter interface for displaying the voting ballots selected by said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing a voting record including the voting selections; and a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier.
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30. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions; a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing for each voting session a voting record including the voting selections; a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier for the plural voting sessions; and means coupled to said processor for storing a voting indicia and the voting session identifier for a given voting session in a tangible medium separate from said memory and associated with the given voting session, wherein said processor provides voting information to said voter interface for displaying a sequence of voting screens thereon, each voting screen including a plurality of voting sessions to be made, wherein said processor provides a next voting screen in the sequence of voting screens only after at least one voting selection is made, and wherein one of the plurality of voting selection includes one of a “
no vote,”
a “
skip contest” and
/or an abstain selection.
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31. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions; a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions; a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing for each voting session a voting record including the voting selections; a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record, and the voting session identifier for the plural voting sessions; and means coupled to said processor for storing a voting indicia and the voting session identifier for a given voting session in a tangible medium separate from said memory and associated with the given voting session, wherein said processor provides voting information to said voter interface for displaying a sequence of voting screens thereon, each voting screen including a plurality of voting selections to be made, wherein said processor provides a next voting screen from the sequence of voting screens, wherein the next voting screen is a voting screen for which a voting selection has not been made, and wherein the next voting screen is provided either in the sequence order of the sequence of voting screens or not in the sequence order of the sequence of voting screens.
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46. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions; a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing for each voting session a voting record including the voting selections; a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier for the plural voting sessions; and means coupled to said processor for storing a voting indicia and the voting session identifier for a given voting session in a tangible medium separate form said memory and associated with the given voting session; wherein said voting apparatus further comprises; a sensor for detecting presence of a voter; and
/ora timer, wherein said processor is responsive to said timer for terminating voting.
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47. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions; a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing for each voting session a voting record including the voting selections; a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier for the plural voting sessions; and means coupled to said processor for storing a voting indicia and the voting session identifier for a given voting session in a tangible medium separate from said memory and associated with the given voting session; wherein said voting apparatus further comprises; a sensor for detecting presence of a voter, wherein said processor is responsive to said sensor for terminating the voting session if the sensor ceases detecting presence of the voter during the voting session; and
/ora timer, wherein said processor is responsive to said timer for terminating the voting session if the voter does not select at least one of the possible voting selections within a predetermined time after the voting information is displayed.
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49. An electronic voting machine comprising:
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an electronic voting machine comprising a processor, a display, a voter interface and at least one memory for storing a voting record of each one of a number of voting sessions, a generator of a voting session identifier for each voting session, which voting session identifier is unrelated to the personal identity of a particular voter conducting that voting session, and a printer providing for each voting session a tangible receipt containing at least a voting indicia and the voting session identifier therefor. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A voting system comprising:
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a computer for tabulating voting records; at least one voting machine, said voting machine comprising; a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier, a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor, and for receiving voting selections made and coupling same to said processor, said processor providing the voting selections in a voting record, a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier; and means coupled to said processor for storing a voting indicia and the voting session identifier in a tangible medium separate from said memory; and means for communicating the voting record from said at least one voting machine to said computer for tabulating the voting record. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A method for voting comprising:
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initiating a voting session; providing an identifier for the voting session; creating a voting record including the voting session identifier and voting selections made during the voting session; storing the voting record including the voting session identifier and the voting selections in a memory; and storing at least the voting session identifier and a voting indicia in a tangible medium separate from the memory. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83)
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84. A method for voting comprising:
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initiating a voting session; providing an identifier for the voting session; creating a voting record including the voting session identifier and voting selections made during the voting session; storing the voting record including the voting session identifier and the voting selections in a memory; and storing the voting record including the voting session identifier and the voting selections in a tangible medium separate from the memory. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 91)
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90. A method for voting comprising:
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initiating a voting session; providing an identifier for the voting session; creating a voting record including the voting session identifier and voting selections made during the voting session; storing the voting record including the voting session identifier and the voting selections in a memory; storing the voting record including the voting session identifier and the voting selections in a tangible medium separate from the memory; and displaying a sequence of voting screens each including voting selections to be made, wherein a next voting screen in the sequence of voting screens is displayed only after at least one voting selection is made on a presently displayed voting screen, wherein one of the voting selections to be made includes one of a “
no vote,”
a “
skip contest”
, a write-in, and/or an abstain selection.
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92. A method for voting comprising:
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initiating a voting session; displaying a sequence of voting screens each including voting selections to be made; not displaying a next voting screen in the sequence of voting screens until after at least one voting selection is made on a presently displayed voting screen; creating a voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session; and storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session in a voting apparatus memory. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 97)
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96. A method for voting comprising:
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initiating a voting session; displaying a sequence of voting screens each including voting selections to be made; not displaying a next voting screen in the sequence of voting screens until after at least one voting selection is made on a presently displayed voting screen, creating a voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session; and storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session in a voting apparatus memory, wherein one of the voting selections includes one of a “
no vote,”
a “
skip contest”
, a write-in, and/or an abstain selection.
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98. A method for voting comprising:
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initiating a voting session displaying a sequence of voting screens each including voting selections to be made; not displaying a next voting screen in the sequence of voting screens until after at least one voting selection is made on a presently displayed voting screen; creating a voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session; and storing the voting record including the voting selections made during the voting session in a voting apparatus memory; wherein said method further comprises; terminating the voting session when a sensor ceases detecting presence of the voter during the voting session; and
/orterminating voting responsive to a timer reaching a predetermined time; and
/orterminating the voting session when the voter does not make a voting selection within a predetermined time after a voting screen of the sequence of voting screens is displayed.
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99. A method for voting comprising:
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providing a voter identifier, the voter identifier including a representation of one of a first and second voting criteria; initiating a voting session utilizing the voter identifier; providing a sequence of voting screens including at least a general voting screen ballot and first and second voting criteria-specific voting screen ballots presenting first and second voting selections pertaining to the first and second voting criteria, respectively; displaying a sequence of voting screens including the general voting screen ballot and the one of the first and second voting criteria-specific voting screen ballots corresponding to the one of the first and second voting criteria representations of the voter identifier; creating a voting record including voting selections made during the voting session; and storing the voting record including the voting selections made in a voting apparatus memory. - View Dependent Claims (100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 116)
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109. A method for voting comprising:
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initiating a voting session; creating a voting record including voting selections made during the voting session; generating a security value related in predetermined manner to the voting selections made; storing the voting record including the voting selections made in a voting apparatus memory; and storing the voting record including the security value and the voting selections in a tangible medium separate from the voting apparatus memory. - View Dependent Claims (110, 111, 112, 113, 114)
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115. A method for voting comprising:
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initiating a voting session; creating a voting record including voting selections made during the voting session; generating a security value related in predetermined manner to the voting selections made; storing the voting record including the voting selections made in a voting apparatus memory; and storing the voting record including the security value and the voting selections in a tangible medium separate from the voting apparatus memory, wherein one of the plurality of voting selections includes one of a “
no vote,”
a “
skip contest”
, a write-in, and/or an abstain selection.
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117. An electronic voting system comprising:
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an electronic voting machine comprising a processor, a voter interface and at least one memory for storing a voting record of each one of a number of voting sessions, a generator of a voting session identifier for each voting session, which voting session identifier is unrelated to the personal identity of a particular voter conducting that voting session, and a printer providing a tangible receipt containing at least the voting session identifier for each voting session. - View Dependent Claims (118, 119, 120, 121)
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122. In an electronic voting system comprising a voting machine for providing a number of voting sessions for a number of voters:
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for each of the number of voters, a chip card providing a registration record and a voter identifier, the voter identifier including a representation of one of first and second voting criteria; a chip-card reader for coupling the registration record and the voter identifier including the representation of the one of first and second voting criteria to the voting machine; a user interface displaying a sequence of voting screens including at least one general voting screen ballot and at least one of first and second voting criteria-specific voting screen ballots corresponding to the one of the first and second voting criteria representations of the voter identifier. - View Dependent Claims (123)
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124. In an electronic voting system comprising a voting machine for providing a number of voting sessions for a number of voters:
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for each of the number of voters, a chip card providing a voter registration record and a storage medium for recording the voter'"'"'s voting selections, wherein said storage medium is sufficient for recording the voting selections of one voter; and a chip-card reader/writer for coupling the voter registration record to the voting machine and for recording each voter'"'"'s voting selections in the storage medium of that voter'"'"'s chip card for that voter'"'"'s voting session. - View Dependent Claims (125, 126, 127, 135)
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128. In an electronic voting system comprising a voting machine for providing a number of voting sessions for a number of voters:
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for each of the number of voters, a chip card providing a voter registration record and a storage medium for recording the voter'"'"'s voting selections, the voter registration record including at least voting jurisdiction information and a randomly-generated identifier unique to a particular voter; and a chip-card reader for coupling the voter registration record to the voting machine for enabling a voting session. - View Dependent Claims (129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134)
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136. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer instructions for conducting a voting session comprising:
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means for causing a computer to initiate the voting session; means for causing the computer to provide an identifier for the voting session; means for causing the computer to create a voting record including the voting session identifier and voting selections made during the voting session; means for causing the computer to store the voting record including the voting session identifier and the voting selections in a memory; and means for causing the computer to store at least the voting session identifier and a voting indicia in a tangible medium separate from the memory. - View Dependent Claims (137)
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138. In combination with an electronic voting machine comprising a processor, a display, a voter interface and at least one memory for storing a voting record of each one of a number of voting sessions:
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a sensor for detecting presence of a voter, wherein said processor is responsive to said sensor for terminating the voting session if the sensor ceases detecting presence of the voter during the voting session; and
/ora timer, wherein said processor is responsive to said timer for terminating the voting session if the voter does not select at least one of the possible voting selections within a predetermined time after the voting information is displayed. - View Dependent Claims (140)
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139. In combination with an electronic voting machine comprising a processor, a display, a voter interface and at least one memory for storing a voting record of each one of a number of voting sessions:
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a sensor for detecting presence of a voter, wherein a voting session is aborted if the sensor ceases detecting presence of the voter during the voting session; and
/ora timer, wherein said processor is responsive to said timer for terminating voting.
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141. A voting system comprising:
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a computer for tabulating voting records; a plurality of voting machines, each said voting machine comprising; a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier, a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor, and for receiving voting selections made and coupling same to said processor, said processor providing the voting selections in a voting record, a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier; and means coupled to said processor for storing a voting indicia and the voting session identifier in a tangible medium separate from said memory; and means for communicating the voting record from said plurality of voting machines to said computer for tabulating the voting record. - View Dependent Claims (142, 143, 144)
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145. In an electronic voting machine comprising a processor, a voter interface and at least one memory for storing a voting record of each one of a number of voting sessions:
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a generator of a voting session identifier for each voting session, which voting session identifier is unrelated to the personal identity of a particular voter conducting that voting session and is unique for each voting session, and a generator for displaying on said user interface one voting screen including all voting contests and/or questions, the one voting screen having voting buttons corresponding to each voting contest and/or question for providing a sequence of pop-up voting screens including voting selections to be made. - View Dependent Claims (146)
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147. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier, wherein the voting information includes a plurality of voting screens, ones of the plurality of voting screens corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of voting contests, each voting screen providing a plurality of voting selections to be made in at least one voting contest including a “
skip”
selection and a “
no vote”
or “
abstain”
selection;a voter interface for displaying the voting screens selected by said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing a voting record including the voting selections; wherein said processor provides voting information to said voter interface for displaying voting screens thereon in a sequence, wherein said processor provides a next voting screen from the sequence of voting screens until all of the voting screens are displayed, wherein a voting screen for which a “
skip”
voting selection has been made is provided other than in the order of the sequence of voting screens until a voting selection or a “
no vote”
or “
abstain”
selection is made; anda memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier.
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148. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier, wherein the voting information includes a database of a plurality of voting ballots, ones of the plurality of voting ballots corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of voting jurisdictions; means for entering a voter identifier including a representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions, wherein said processor is responsive to the representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions for selecting from the database voting ballots for the one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions corresponding thereto; a voter interface for displaying the voting ballots selected by said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing a voting record including the voting selections; and a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier, wherein said processor provides voting information to said voter interface for displaying a sequence of voting screens thereon, each voting screen including a plurality of voting selections to be made, wherein said processor provides a next voting screen in the sequence of voting screens only after at least one voting selection is made, and wherein one of the plurality of voting selections includes a “
no vote,”
a “
skip contest” and
/or an abstain selection.
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149. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier, wherein the voting information includes a database of a plurality of voting ballots, ones of the plurality of voting ballots corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of voting jurisdictions; means for entering a voter identifier including a representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions, wherein said processor is responsive to the representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions for selecting from the database voting ballots for the one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions corresponding thereto; a voter interface for displaying the voting ballots selected by said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing a voting record including the voting selections; and a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier, wherein said processor provides voting information to said voter interface for displaying a sequence of voting screens thereon, each voting screen including a plurality of voting selections to be made, wherein said processor provides a next voting screen from the sequence of voting screens, wherein the next voting screen is a voting screen for which a voting selection has not been made, and wherein the next voting screen is provided either in the sequence order of the sequence of voting screens or not in the sequence order of the sequence of voting screens.
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150. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions;
a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing for each voting session a voting record including the voting selections;wherein the voting information for each contest of a voting session includes possible voting selections for at least one candidate and/or at least one question, and further includes possible voting selections for at least one of a “
no vote”
, a “
skip contest” and
an “
abstain”
;a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier for the plural voting sessions; and
wherein said processor requires selection of at least one of the possible voting selections before proceeding from a present contest to a next contest and/or to ending a voting session;wherein said voting apparatus further comprises; a sensor for detecting presence of a voter; and
/ora timer, wherein said processor is responsive to said timer for terminating voting.
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151. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier, wherein the voting information includes a database of a plurality of voting ballots, ones of the plurality of voting ballots corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of voting jurisdictions; means for entering a voter identifier including a representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions, wherein said processor is responsive to the representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions for selecting from the database voting ballots for the one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions corresponding thereto; a voter interface for displaying the voting ballots selected by said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing a voting record including the voting selections; and a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier; wherein said voting apparatus further comprises; a sensor for detecting presence of a voter; and
/ora timer, wherein said processor is responsive to said timer for terminating voting.
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152. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier for each of plural voting sessions; a voter interface for displaying voting information received from said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing for each voting session a voting record including the voting selections; wherein the voting information for each contest of a voting session includes possible voting selections for at least one candidate and/or at least one question, and further includes possible voting selections for at least one of a “
no vote”
, a “
skip contest” and
an “
abstain”
;a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier for the plural voting sessions; and wherein said processor requires selection of at least one of the possible voting selections before proceeding from a present contest to a next contest and/or to ending a voting session; wherein said voting apparatus further comprises; a sensor for detecting presence of a voter, wherein said processor is responsive to said sensor for terminating the voting session if the sensor ceases detecting presence of the voter during the voting session; and
/ora timer, wherein said processor is responsive to said timer for terminating the voting session if the voter does not select at least one of the possible voting selections within a predetermined time after the voting information is displayed.
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153. Voting apparatus comprising:
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a processor for processing voting information and providing a voting session identifier, wherein the voting information includes a database of a plurality of voting ballots, ones of the plurality of voting ballots corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of voting jurisdictions; means for entering a voter identifier including a representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions, wherein said processor is responsive to the representation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions for selecting from the database voting ballots for the one or more of the plurality of voting jurisdictions corresponding thereto; a voter interface for displaying the voting ballots selected by said processor and for receiving voting selections made and coupling the voting selections to said processor, said processor providing a voting record including the voting selections; and a memory coupled to said processor for storing the voting record and the voting session identifier; wherein said voting apparatus further comprises; a sensor for detecting presence of a voter, wherein said processor is responsive to said sensor for terminating the voting session if the sensor ceases detecting presence of the voter during the voting session; and
/ora timer, wherein said processor is responsive to said timer for terminating the voting session if the voter does not select at least one of the possible voting selections within a predetermined time after the voting information is displayed.
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154. A method for voting comprising:
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initiating a voting session; providing an identifier for the voting session; creating a voting record including the voting session identifier and voting selections made during the voting session; storing the voting record including the voting session identifier and the voting selections in a memory; storing the voting record including the voting session identifier and the voting selections in a tangible medium separate from the memory; and displaying a voting screen including all voting contests and/or questions on one voting screen having voting buttons for providing for each voting contest and/or question a pop-up voting region including voting selections to be made, wherein one of the voting selections to be made includes a “
no vote,”
a “
skip contest”
, a write-in, and/or an abstain selection.
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Specification