Providing voter secrecy through manually created markings

• US 8,982,423 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James A. Roskind
• Original Assignee: James A. Roskind
• Inventors: Roskind, James A., Emigh, Aaron T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, Scott A
• Application Number:
  US13/547,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20120284799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 358/3.28, 358/1.14, 235 51- 57, 235/487, 235/386, 235/492, 713/150, 713/171, 713/176, 713/180, 713/181, 713/168, 380/277, 380/282, 380/285, 283/5, 283/17, 283/72, 283/73, 424/306, 705/71, 340/5.8, 340/5.86
• US Class Current: 358/3.28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 5/00 Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages

Abstract

In some embodiments, techniques for voting and visual cryptography may include various enhancements.

Claims

1. A method for voting, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:

enabling a voter to secretly control whether the voter'"'"'s absentee ballot is discarded or tallied using a manually created marking that is provided by the voter and supplied with the absentee ballot, wherein enabling the voter to secretly control whether the voter'"'"'s absentee ballot is discarded or tallied includes;

storing a token in association with the voter, the token including a manually created marking provided by the voter separate from a written signature of the voter;

receiving a paper-based absentee ballot from the voter, the ballot being provided with an identification and/or written signature of the voter;

determining that the absentee ballot includes a manually created addition from the voter; and

in response to the manually created addition matching the manually created marking of the token stored in association with the voter, tallying one or more votes provided with the absentee ballot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the absentee ballot includes an envelope, and wherein the manually created addition is provided on the envelope.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the absentee ballot includes a manually created addition includes comparing the manually created addition with a list of credentials stored in a voting registrar.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the manually created addition includes a password.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the manually created addition includes a passphrase.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the manually created addition is hand-written.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

enabling a voter to secretly control whether the voter'"'"'s absentee ballot is discarded or tallied using a manually created marking that is provided by the voter and supplied with the absentee ballot, wherein enabling the voter to secretly control whether the voter'"'"'s absentee ballot is discarded or tallied includes;

storing a token in association with the voter, the token including a manually created marking provided by the voter separate from a written signature of the voter;

receiving a paper-based absentee ballot from the voter, the ballot being provided with an identification and/or written signature of the voter;

determining whether the absentee ballot includes a manually created addition from the voter; and

in response to the manually created addition matching the manually created marking of the token stored in association with the voter, tallying one or more votes provided with the absentee ballot;

else ignoring the ballot.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the absentee ballot includes an envelope, and wherein the manually created addition is provided on the envelope.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein determining whether the absentee ballot includes manually created addition includes comparing the manually created marking with a list of credentials stored in a voting registrar.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the manually created addition includes a password.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the manually created addition includes a passphrase.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the manually created addition is hand-written.

13. A system comprising:

a memory resource; and

a processor coupled to the memory resource, the processor to;

enable a voter to secretly control whether the voter'"'"'s absentee ballot is discarded or tallied using a manually created marking that is provided by the voter and supplied with the absentee ballot, wherein enabling the voter to secretly control whether the voter'"'"'s absentee ballot is discarded or tallied includes;

store a token in association with the voter, the token including a manually created marking provided by the voter separate from a written signature of the voter;

receive a paper-based absentee ballot from the voter, the ballot being provided with an identification and/or written signature of the voter;

determine whether the absentee ballot includes a manually created addition from the voter; and

in response to the manually created addition matching the manually created marking of the token stored in association with the voter, tally one or more votes provided with the absentee ballot;

else ignore the ballot.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the absentee ballot includes an envelope, and wherein the manually created addition is provided on the envelope.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors determine whether the absentee ballot includes a manually created addition by comparing the manually created addition with a list of credentials stored in a voting registrar.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the manually created addition includes a password.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the manually created addition includes a passphrase.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the manually created addition is hand-written.