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GEMS 1.9.6 (TS Integration)



GEMS 1.9.6 is the first public release to support the AccuVote TS.  We will make a public AVTS 3.4.1 release shortly.  Here are the relevant GEMS files and passwords:
GEMS-1-9-6.zip ntdg8hbbvdfpq
TSText-1-9-6.zip ohg5nhj9inrfe
GEMS-Reports-1-9-6.zip hg5fhcsdenjge
New this GEMS release is the TSText subdirectory.  You will need to unzip TSText similar to GEMS-Reports.  Databases created with GEMS 1.9.1 through 1.9.5 pre-releases will not be compatible with 1.9.6.  1.8.x and earlier databases should however upgrade to cleanly to 1.9.6.
 
GEMS 1.9.6 should be used only with AccuVote-TS 3.4.x.  As features are added to the AccuVote-TS, the protocol between GEMS and the AccuTouch is likely to change.  Until the AccuTouch-TS protocol stabilizes, you will need to be careful about using matching GEMS and TS releases.  We will include compatibility information as we make new GEMS and TS releases.
 
GEMS 1.9.x and AccuVote-TS 3.4.x contains enough functionality to run simple elections.  The GEMS integration is a work in progress and there are many features not yet implemented or have rough edges.  The large projects remaining are:
  • There currently isn't any version or consistency checking on upload.  Right now results can upload will upload multiple times, instead of being rejected like the AccuVote.  Results will be overwritten (not accumulated) so this is not in general too critical in a small election.  The current Poll Book is basically a hack that will need reworking.
  • Tracking write-in text.  The names voters write-in are recorded by the TS, but not uploaded to GEMS currently.
  • Challenged voters.  The TS has the capability of recording ballots from challenged voters but not including those ballots in the election night totals produced at the polls.  Those ballots will need to be added to the upload protocol, and a subsystem to manage those ballots added to GEMS.
There are a number of smaller features that are also not complete.  These will be added at a fairly rapid pace:
  • Rotated ballots.
  • Multi-Card paper ballots (ie all races must fit on one card, even if paper ballots aren't used).
  • Multi-Language elections that also need paper ballots.  Can be worked around with 1.9.6.
  • Multi-Language elections that have party by-lines.
  • Changing the number of columns on the TS ballot.  Can be worked around with 1.9.6.
  • Multiple ballots per report precinct (split precincts and closed primaries).
  • Party Preference Races and Recall Races (Straight Party works).
  • Greater than around 250 candidates in the election.
Other missing features or bugs are fair game for the rcr and bugtrack mailing lists respectively, although we ask you to tread lightly until the code has a chance to dry.  Many features are not yet well tested, so make sure to do extensive L&A tests.  We have run three successful elections on pre-releases of the integrated system, and expect to have many more.
 
Enjoy!
 
Ken
 
 
Changes since GEMS 1.7.5:
 

1.9.6 May-20-99

  • Changed label "VoteFor" to "Vote For" in HTML Precinct Summary report.
  • New GEMS menu: "Program Mem Cards v2" which is used to program AccuVote-TS super-disks.

1.9.5 May-19-99

  • Support AccuVote-TS 3.4.1 download protocol.
  • Multi language support for AccuVote-TS.
  • Re-work of Ballot Station text. Requires new directory TSText which stores the text.
  • Download rich text for voter groups (use with Straight Party on AccuVote-TS). No support for editing the rich text yet.
  • Support download of write-in candidates.
  • Support download of AccuVote-TS ballot layout. No editor to modify these values yet.
  • Improved network communication error handling.

1.9.4 May-10-99

  • Disable vote center’s ID, region, race filter set, number of memory cards, and count method after election is set.
  • Correctly filter the ballot and cards by report precinct category in the list controls and pre-election reports.
  • Change error reported by manual entry for non-existent counters from "Vote Center is not in this region" to "No Counters Available to Modify"
  • Report error "Missing Endorsement Race" in Program Memory Cards when a recount is performed and the endorsement race is missing from the recount race set.
  • Fixed bug in summary of card quantity. Card Precinct IDs are determined correctly for vote centers that don't need them.
  • Clear the deck list in the central count dialog when the server is stopped.
  • Fix bug where user was not warned to save the artwork when a race or header was moved in the ballot or card editors.
  • Fixed bug in calculating oval positions when using candidate justification and candidate margins.

1.9.3 Apr-27-99

  • Added AccuVote-TS support for multi-line election titles.

1.9.2 Apr-25-99

  • Added support for No Votes Cast warning on AccuVote-TS.

1.9.1 Apr-23-99

  • This upgrade will add AccuVote-TS instruction headers to GEMS database for editing. These headers are now included in the AccuVote-TS download protocol.

1.8.1 Apr-15-99

  • Race and candidate labels can again be changed after set-for-election. The 1.7.4 behavior is restored (1.7.5).
  • Database loading will be performed normally, and the user has to provide the password upon opening.
  • Improve posting and central count performance.
  • Closing central count dialog while running now cleanly stops the ports.
  • Fix bug in switching central count vote centers.
  • Adding report precincts to any report precinct category will be prohibited after cards-printed.
  • Fix "too few parameters" bug when deleting rotation districts.
  • Added a locale id field to each language.
  • Fixed UI behavior in Region and Language editors.
  • Fixed bug where central count decks would appear in download dialog. (1.7.5)
  • Don't print card id text outside cut marks on artwork printed without seperate ovals set.