System and Method for Electronic Voting
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Electronic voting system and method for collecting and counting votes from individual voters using electronic polling equipment. The system comprises means for validating votes from collected virtual ballot forms. The validating means are arranged in such way that if a set of two or more virtual ballot forms associated with an identical voter is collected, one virtual ballot form of this set is validated as one valid vote of the voter. The remaining virtual ballot forms of the set are marked as duplicate, provided the virtual ballot forms of the set are identical as to the subject elected by the voter. Otherwise all virtual ballot forms of the set are marked invalid. Thereby effectively preventing double counting of valid votes, among others, due to network problems causing a virtual ballet form to be forwarded twice or even many more times.
117 Citations
83 Claims
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1-42. -42. (canceled)
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43. Electronic voting system for collecting and counting votes from individual voters using electronic polling equipment in an election comprising a list of subjects to be elected, wherein a vote of an individual voter comprises an election of one of a group including:
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one subject of said list, in an election of a single subject, and one combination of subjects of said list, in an election of a combination of subjects, wherein said votes being forwarded by means of a data network, said electronic voting system comprising;
means for generating a unique personal key for each individual voter entitled to said election, which unique personal key is to be communicated to said individual voter;
means for generating one of a group including;
a unique-subject code for each subject on said list, in an election of a single subject, and a unique subject combination code for each combination of subjects on said list, in an election of a combination of subjects;
means for generating a reference election record for each individual voter comprising all potential virtual ballot forms for said individual voter, by calculating a unique voter identity code for said individual voter from a unique election code for said election and said unique personal key of said voter, and by calculating one of a group including;
a unique subject identity code for each subject on said list, from each unique subject code and said unique personal key of said voter, in an election of a single subject, and a unique subject combination identity code for each combination of subjects on said list from each unique subject combination code and said unique personal key of said voter, in an election of a combination of subjects, and wherein said calculated identity codes form part of said virtual ballot forms;
means for storing said reference election records for said individual voters;
means for loading a tool in said polling equipment of said individual voter wherein said tool comprises means for calculating said unique voter identity code of said voter from said unique election code and said unique personal key communicated to said voter, for calculating one of a group including;
a unique subject identity code of a subject elected by said voter, from said unique subject code of said subject elected by said voter and said unique personal key of said voter, in an election of a single subject, and a unique subject combination identity code for the combination of subjects elected by said voter, from said unique subject combination code for said combination of subjects elected by said voter and said unique personal key of said voter, in an election of a combination of subjects, and for generating a virtual ballot form comprising said calculated identity code, using said polling equipment;
means for forwarding said virtual ballot form by said polling equipment over said data network;
means for receiving and collecting said virtual ballot form forwarded by said polling equipment;
means for verifying each collected virtual ballot form with respect to its presence in said reference election records of said voters;
means for counting votes;
means for establishing an election result, and validating means for validating votes from said collected virtual ballot forms, which validating means are arranged in such way that from a collection of at least two virtual ballot forms associated with an identical voter identity code, one virtual ballot form of said collection is validated as one valid vote of said voter and remaining virtual ballot forms of said collection are marked as duplicate if said virtual ballot forms of said collection are identical as to one of a group including;
said subject elected by said voter, in an election of a single subject, and said combination of subjects elected by said voter in an election of a combination of subjects, and all virtual ballot forms of said collection are marked invalid if said virtual ballot forms of said collection are not identical as to one of a group including;
said subject elected by said voter, in an election of a single subject, and said combination of subjects elected by said voter in an election of a combination of subjects. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. Method for electronic voting, for collecting and counting votes from individual voters using electronic polling equipment in an election comprising a list of subjects to be elected, from which list an individual voter provides a vote by electing one of a group including:
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one subject of said list, in an election of a single subject, and one combination of subjects of said list, in an election of a combination of subjects;
forwarding of said vote by means of a data network, generating a unique personal key for each individual voter entitled to said election;
communicating said unique personal keys to said individual voters;
generating one of a group comprising;
a unique subject code for each subject on said list, in an election of a single subject, and a unique subject combination code for each combination of subjects on said list, in an election of a combination of subjects;
generating a reference election record for each individual voter comprising all potential virtual ballot forms for said individual voter, by calculating a unique voter identity code for said individual voter from a unique election code for said election and said unique personal key of said voter, and by calculating one of a group including;
a unique subject identity code for each subject on said list, from each unique subject code and said unique personal key of said voter, in an election of a single subject, and a unique subject combination identity code for each combination of subjects on said list from each unique subject combination code and said unique personal key of said voter, in an election of a combination of subjects, and wherein said calculated identity codes form part of said virtual ballot forms;
storing said reference election records for said individual voters;
loading a tool in said polling equipment of a voter;
electing from said list of subjects at said polling equipment of said voter one of a group comprising;
one subject of said list, in an election of a single subject, and one combination of subjects of said list, in an election of a combination of subjects, by inputting, into said polling equipment, said unique personal key communicated to said voter and one of a group comprising;
said unique subject code of said subject elected by said voter, in an election of a single subject, and said unique subject combination code for said combination of subjects elected by said voter, in an election of a combination of subjects, generating a virtual ballot form using said tool loaded into said polling equipment of said voter, by calculating said unique voter identity code from said election code and said unique personal key of said voter, for calculating one of a group including;
a unique subject identity code of a subject elected by said voter, from said unique subject code of said subject elected by said voter and said unique personal key of said voter, in an election of a single subject, and a unique subject combination identity code for the combination of subjects elected by said voter, from said unique subject combination code for said combination of subjects elected by said voter and said unique personal key of said voter, in an election of a combination of subjects, and wherein said calculated identity code forms part of said virtual ballot form;
forwarding said virtual ballot over said data network;
receiving and collecting said virtual ballot form forwarded by said polling equipment;
verifying each collected virtual ballot form with respect to its presence in said reference election records of said voters;
counting votes;
establishing an election result based on said counted votes, and validating votes from said collected virtual ballot forms, in such way that from a collection of at least two virtual ballot forms associated with an identical voter identity code, one virtual ballot form of said collection is validated as one valid vote of said voter and remaining virtual ballot forms of said collection are marked as duplicate if said virtual ballot forms of said collection are identical as to one of a group including;
said subject elected by said voter, in an election of a single subject, and said combination of subjects elected by said voter in an election of a combination of subjects, and all virtual ballot forms of said collection are marked invalid if said virtual ballot forms of said collection are not identical as to one of a group including;
said subject elected by said voter, in an election of a single subject, and said combination of subjects elected by said voter in an election of a combination of subjects. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 83)
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Specification