E-Poll Books: The Next Certification Frontier Jay Bagga, Joseph Losco, Raymond Scheele Voting Systems Technical Oversight Program (VSTOP) Ball State University Muncie, Indiana
Outline New Indiana legislation requiring the certification of e-poll books Certification standards incorporated in the state election code. History and current status in states Some types of e-poll books Some details of Indiana Code VSTOP s Role in developing protocols for Testing and Certification Implementation and monitoring Assessment
Indiana Certification To Certify or Not to Certify: That is the question General Options Legislation Rulemaking Indiana s options limited by Complexity of state s rulemaking process Regulatory limits imposed by Governor
Indiana Certification Secretary of State sought VSTOP input for certification standards VSTOP sought input from state certification community Standards incorporated in HB 1157 and SB 519 Conference Report consolidated standards in IC 3-11-8-10.3 75
e-poll Book Replaces physical, printed poll books Maintains complete county voter rolls Allows instantaneous voter identification and verification of voting status Facilitates county and Voter Registration System (VRS) updates Makes vote centers possible
History Electronic poll books are used in at least one county in 27 states, including Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. Georgia and Maryland were the first to use electronic poll books statewide in 2005, said Merle King, executive director for the Center for Election Systems at Kennesaw (Ga.) State University. Source: Philly.com August 20, 2012.
Georgia 183-1-12-.07 Preparation of the Electors List and Use of ExpressPoll. (1) Beginning July 1, 2006, counties shall use ExpressPoll units at precincts within the county during primaries, elections, and runoffs. The ExpressPoll units shall be utilized in lieu of the printed electors list and ballot encoders in each precinct where in use. (2) The county election superintendent shall maintain each ExpressPoll unit, and all components in a secure location under the same conditions as provided for DRE units under Rule 183-1- 12-.02(2). (3) Effective January 1, 2006, the registrars of each county shall utilize the absentee ballot subsystem of the statewide voter registration system for absentee balloting and advance voting.
Virginia Election officials in Virginia expected high turnout for the historic November 4, 2008 election. To ensure poll sites ran efficiently, they issued a solicitation for electronic poll books to replace traditional paper poll books. The solution needed to meet three criteria hardware independence Limited budget Scalability for future DataCard Precinct Management System We experienced the future of secure, efficient precinct management with the Datacard solution this past November, said Nancy Rodrigues, secretary, Virginia State Board of Elections.
Iowa and Michigan "Iowa Express Voter" is being tested for the very first time during a special election in Dixon, Iowa. The program uses software developed by the Iowa Secretary of State. Michigan has developed their own software.
Indiana Indiana will be first in nation to certify e-poll books Verify voter eligibility Confirm vote Transmit information securely to every other polling place Must be secure Update Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS) Effective July 1, 2013
A Sample of e-poll Book Vendors Election Administrators Election Systems & Software (ES&S) Hart InterCivic Know Ink RBM Consulting, LLC Robis VOTEC Corporation Quest Information Systems, Inc. A Rifkin Company Harp Enterprises, Inc. Hart InterCivic Inclusion Solutions LLC Microvote
A Sample of e-poll Books Election Systems & Software (ES&S) ExpressPoll Knowink Poll Pad Software on a laptop
A Sample of e-poll Books ES&S ExpressPoll - 5000
A Sample of e-poll Books Knowink Poll Pad
A Sample of e-poll Books Software on a laptop Hart InterCivic
E-Poll Book Definition Indiana Code: "electronic poll list" refers to a poll list that is maintained in a computer database. Problems with this definition and our proposed solution.
E-Poll List and E-poll Book Definitions An electronic poll list refers to a poll list that is maintained in a computer database. An electronic poll book refers to the combination of mechanical, electromechanical and electronic equipment (including the software, firmware and documentation required to program, control and support the equipment) that is used to access and maintain the electronic poll list.
Functional and Technical Requirements The Indiana Code has detailed functional and technical requirements. We highlight some of those here
Functional Requirements (2) An electronic poll list may not be connected to a voting system. (3) An electronic poll list may permit access to only limited voter information.
Functional Requirements (5) The electronic poll list must permit a poll clerk to enter information regarding an individual who has appeared to vote to verify whether the individual is eligible to vote, and if so, whether the voter has: (A) already cast a ballot at the election; (B) returned an absentee ballot.
Functional Requirements (9) The electronic poll book must permit voter history to be quickly and accurately uploaded into the electronic poll list. (11) The electronic poll book must be used with a signature pad, tablet, or other signature capturing device that permits the voter to make an electronic signature for comparison with the signature displayed under subdivision.
Technical Requirements (4) The information contained on an electronic poll list must be encrypted and placed on a dedicated, private server to secure connectivity between a precinct polling place or satellite absentee office and the county election board. The electronic poll book must have the capability of: (A) storing (in external or internal memory) a local version of the data base; that serves as a backup; and (B) producing a list of audit records that reflect all of the idiosyncrasies of the system, including in-process audit records that set forth all transactions.
Technical Requirements Documentation must be provided for: Failsafe data recovery procedures Usability tests Common Industry Format (CIF) for Usability Test Reports
Technical Requirements Documentation Required (F) Detailed information concerning: (i) electronic poll list consumables; and (ii) the vendor's supply chain for those consumables. (G) Vendor internal quality assurance procedures and any internal or external test data and reports available to the vendor concerning the electronic poll list. (H) Repair and maintenance policies for the electronic poll list.
Technical Requirements (19) The electronic poll list must demonstrate that it correctly processes all activity regarding each voter registration record included on the list, including the use, alteration, storage, and transmittal of information that is part of the record. Compliance with this subdivision requires the mapping of the data life cycle of the voter registration record as processed by the electronic poll list. (20) The electronic poll list must successfully perform in accordance with all representations concerning functionality, usability, security, accessibility, and sustainability made in the vendor's application for approval of the electronic poll list by the secretary of state as required by the Indiana Code.
Technical Requirements (21) The electronic poll list must have the capacity to transmit all information generated by the voter or poll clerk as part of the process of casting a ballot, including the time and date stamp indicating when the voter voted, and the electronic signature of the voter, for retention on the dedicated private server maintained by the county election board for the period required by Indiana and federal law. (22) The electronic poll list must: (A) permit a voter to sign the poll list even when there is a temporary interruption in connectivity to the Internet; and (B) provide for the uploading of each signature and its assignment to the voter's registration record.
Next Steps Creation and Approval of application form for Certification (with required documentation) Creation of Draft Testing Protocol Request for comments by Vendors, Citizens, etc. Secure approval of Protocol from Secretary of State Commence Testing Begin Certification of E Poll Books
Conclusions and Discussion Our experience Discussion