[Date Prev][Date Next] [Chronological] [Thread] [Top]

RE: Write-in Line To Be Moved To The Lowest Position If Candidate Spacing Is More Than 1

I would say this is not acceptable to everyone, based upon my experience working with customers in the training center.  Customers tend to be picky about how write-in lines appear on the ballot relative to: the oval, the bottom line of the race box, etc.  Minnesota and Hamilton, TN may want this change in order to make GEMS behave the way they want, but others will object when the change is made, codified in GEMS, then they are upgraded to 1.18.  This is a general opinion; the individual project managers for (North Carolina, Georgia, Colorado, California, Kansas, etc., etc.) may wish to weigh in.
 
It does not sound as if Minnesota's request is statutory, for what it's worth.  As much as Minnesota's election directors want to maximize "fairness" to the possible write-in, election directors in many other parts of the country don't feel it is their responsibility to do anything to emphasize the write-in space; in fact, many try to de-emphasize it as much as possible.  This is a philosophical/political difference which we should not try to arbitrate.
 
An airing of views from all quarters is called for so that a true consensus can be arrived at.  This is not worth putting another option in GEMS IMHO (as training director).
 
Tyler
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-rcr@dieboldes.com [mailto:owner-rcr@dieboldes.com]On Behalf Of Ken Clark
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 9:15 AM
To: rcr@dieboldes.com
Subject: RE: Write-in Line To Be Moved To The Lowest Position If Candidate Spacing Is More Than 1

If this is acceptable to everyone, we can do it easy enough.  My only concern is that without the candidate horizontal line, it is hard to tell that the write-in belongs to the bottom oval.  Well, not hard, but the florida butterfly ballot wasn't hard either.  We have had problems with getting voters to fill in the oval with write-ins in the past.  If anyone has concerns about this change, please speak up, else we can get this into the next release.
 
Ken
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-rcr@dieboldes.com [mailto:owner-rcr@dieboldes.com]On Behalf Of Cathi Smothers
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 8:22 AM
To: RCR
Subject: Write-in Line To Be Moved To The Lowest Position If Candidate Spacing Is More Than 1

Date Requested:    February 13, 2001
Requested By:    Dakota, Anoka, and Washington Co.'s in Minnesota and Hamilton Co., TN
Date Needed:    By November 1, 2001 (MN county wide School Board elections are in November)
 
 
Description:    The above named accounts would like the write-in line to automatically move to the lowest possible position if candidate spacing is set at more than 1 and the multiple write-in lines choice is not selected. (see below).
 
 
Current
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proposed
 
 
  
 
Motivation:    MN election directors are concerned that the current layout gives the appearance that a potential write-in candidate is not given equal space on the ballot.

 

Cathi Smothers
Global Election Systems
423.842.0937
423.505.7507