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We
will just be using BOD to supplement the ballots that they have already ordered
from the printer. They want to use BOD primarily for small elections and
to duplicate un-readable ballots by OS units. BOD will not have
stubs. The serial number are not used to track an individual voter, it
simply an internal track to where they send bunches of ballots. We are doing BOD
just fine in El Paso, and have been for the past two years (we use two languages
there). Being able to print the serial number on the ballot is an added
feature. Our competitors can already do this.
When
we talk about a ballot that did not print correctly, we should be able have a
check box to reprint that ballot. Meaning that the "serial number feature"
should be manual. Turn it on and off. We would have to have that type
of feature, because, we have to print X number of test ballots to get
the OFFSETS right.
We do
not need an audit trail from GEMS for the number of ballots printed. The
fact that serial numbers are printed on the ballots are enough. WE do not need
GEMS to keep track of Ballots printed. That type of audit will be done by the
Election Dept.
WE
ARE NOT TRYING TO EVENT THE WHEEL HERE. WE ARE SIMPLY ADDING A FEATURE TO AN
ALREADY GREAT FEATURE.
NOTHING MORE.
Rodney
I've
had some experience with BOD. Comments below.
Tab, I hope these answers help you. If not, please give me
a call.
- Does this not violate voter secrecy?
Some states have legislation that prohibits any identifying mark on the
ballot that would allow someone to identify the voter who cast the
ballot.
No, in Texas they track their ballots by
putting serial numbers on them (Texas Election Code 52.062). They have
something that is called a ballot-register that they must keep, so they
know where their ballots went and how many.
Are you talking serial number on the ballot, or on a
stub? If on the ballot, please check with SOS. I've never heard
of a voted ballot being allowed to be traced back to an individual
voter. If you're talking stub, how will you print an 18" ballot
(remember at least 2 languages) plus a 1" or so
stub?
2. If
we were to implement the 'automatic' incrementing of serial numbers, how
about ballots that do not print correctly? Can we just ignore this problem
and have 'missing' serial numbers.
NO.. we would have to have a way to reprint
the ballot with the correct serial number. Lots of
luck. Another issue to consider: serial numbers at
various sites and then spoiled or missing numbers at each site.
This is a nightmare to
administer.
3. What kind of audit logging to
they want, if any?
No audit log needed.... I would
think you have to audit. What do you tell the newspapers when
they realize we can print extra ballots on demand and have no audit of the
reconciliation
numbers?
4. Is printing the serial
number next to the ballot/precinct label at the bottom of the ballot
acceptable, or are they going to want to place the serial number
somewhere in the header of the ballot? Implementing this would be
a lot of work.
I understand. The
counties would accept whereever we decide to place the serial number.
Printing the serial number next to the ballot/precinct label would be
acceptable. See comment above.
According to Ian, the font size would have to be the
same. So long as it is visible, I think where it would be the easiest
to implement would be acceptable.
.
5. When
does this have to be implemented by?
The
sooner the better. I know this will take some time. I just need
to let the customer (Bexar County and Travis County) know we can
do it, and will be able to deliverif they choose us as a vendor. I can
tell El Paso county that we are working on it.
Thanks.
Rodney
Ballot on
Demand is an extremely troublesome product.
We
have never been able to make this work successfully. There are
equipment issues (remember when HP said they would build one for us and then
stopped supporting the printer?), personnel issues, software issues, AND we
don't make enough money on this to sneeze at.
Juan, Rodney- I've had this same issue with
accounts before, most recently in Johnson County, KS. They had printed
60,000+ BOD ballots from their CMIS system and insisted we had to have
BOD. We explained that the TS, coupled with VC Programmer, would solve
their walk-in issues. Then we delivered some of our Spectrum produced
ballots. They loved the value added features of multiple colors,
customization in headers, pre-printed test decks, precinct ids, etc at no
additional cost. Moreover, we can deliver their postal ballots folded
and already sorted in boxes by precinct and/or ballot style. The
County argument is that they will run out of ballots. Our response is
to point out that they will have all the value added features and a true
inventory of their ballots. Additionally, we should point out that we
can assist them with some inventory practices, and, because we print
digitally, no plates and no minimum order, we can turn around their possible
re-orders in record time. For example, if they take inventory by say
2:00pm central time, we can have our west coast facilities possibly print
that afternoon. Although we can't always promise delivery the
next am, we can certainly promise a 36 hour turn around.
If
we are so far along in the cycle that it is impossible to sell this solution
right now, my suggestion is to talk through the BOD and whet their appetite
for this digital solution. Bexar is visiting Johnson County with Barry
on Thursday. I think Barry can prime Connie Schmidt to help with this
solution.
Let's please think this through before we throw
resources at a BOD solution.
-----Original
Message-----
From: owner-rcr@dieboldes.com
[mailto:owner-rcr@dieboldes.com]On Behalf Of Talbot
Iredale
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2002 5:35 PM
To:
rcr@dieboldes.com
Subject: Re: serial numbers on
ballots
Rodney,
I have a few question
regarding this RCR:
- Does this not violate voter secrecy? Some
states have legislation that prohibits any identifying mark on the
ballot that would allow someone to identify the voter who cast the
ballot.
- If we were to implement the 'automatic'
incrementing of serial numbers, how about ballots that do not print
correctly? Can we just ignore this problem and have 'missing' serial
numbers.
- What kind of audit logging to they want, if
any?
- Is printing the serial number next to the
ballot/precinct label at the bottom of the ballot acceptable, or are
they going to want to place the serial number somewhere in the header of
the ballot? Implementing this would be a lot of work.
- When does this have to be implemented
by?
Tab
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2002
8:49 AM
Subject: serial numbers on
ballots
We are in
the process of Best and Final Offer with two counties, Bexar County and
Travis County.
We are going
county wide with AccuVote-TS in El Paso county.
These
counties will all have BOD printers. They are requesting that
their BOD printer be able to print
serial
numbers on their ballots. They want to be able to manually
set the first number, then have it
increment
sequence ally from there. This could seal the deal for at
least one county, Bexar. We would
win big
points with El Paso and Travis. We need to have an answer for them
fairly quickly. They will be making their
decision
around the 29th of this month. Thanks.
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