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1.95d firmware test revisited



Brief
 
A second 1.95d beta test was performed in order to verify that the port error experienced in the previous 1.95d beta release was eliminated.  This test was performed with GEMS 1.5.10.
 
Election setup description
 
An election is defined with Reports (under AccuVote Options) set to 1.95 Anoka and Version set to 1.95.  AccuVote parameters are set to return on overvoted, undervoted, blank voted races and blank voted cards, as well as print override messages on undervoted and blank voted ballots.  Three races are defined for 10 report precincts:
  • U.S. Senator, Vote for 1, with Precinct rotation
  • Governor, Vote for 1, with Minnesota rotation
  • City Councillor, Vote for 3, with Minnesota rotation 
Each of the 3 report precincts receives a unique rotation card.  In the first round of testing, each report precinct corresponds to a unique vote center.  Three of these vote centers are downloaded and tested with the Unvoted and Fully Voted Ballot Tests as well as Count Test.
 
Outcome
 
On all 3 memory cards:
  • the prompt thread is correct in Diagnostics, Setup, Pre-Election, Election and Post-Election Modes (other than a problem logged below)
  • incorrect ballots are rejected in the Unvoted and Fully Voted Ballot Tests as well as Count Test
  • unvoted ballots are correctly accepted in all four orientations in the Unvoted Ballot Test - a fully voted ballot is correctly returned with all voting ovals reported as marked
  • fully voted ballots are correctly accepted in all four orientations in the Fully Voted Ballot Test - an unvoted ballot is correctly returned with all voting ovals reported as blank
  • candidates are correctly printed in the Unvoted and Fully Voted Ballot Test reports in the order they appear on the ballot
  • the vote center name correctly appears on the memory card label as well as Zero Total and Election Results reports
  • blank and overvoted race return as well as return override options correctly take effect both in Pre-Election and Election Mode
  • overriden blank and overvoted ballot returns are correctly tallied in the long Election Results reports
  • the text display of race titles in ballot return messages looks acceptable, but its success would have a lot to do with how cryptically these race titles are defined in GEMS
  • AccuVote return parameters and override print options correctly appear on all long reports
  • long Election Zero and Election Results reports are correctly printed in Election Mode (Anoka requirement)
  • Resume Counting functions properly
  • candidate results are tallied correctly in both Pre-Election and Election Mode
  • candidates are printed in ballot order on Zero Total and Election Results reports in both Pre-Election and Election Mode
  • three memory cards successfully upload in Post-Election Mode
  • the GEMS Election Summary report returns correct results for the uploaded memory cards and lists candidates in the order defined in GEMS
Communications
 
A number of tests were performed successfully on abnormal communication termination.
  • disconnecting the serial cable from the AccuVote while uploading is properly resolved on the host and AccuVote end
  • pressing the NO button while uploading is properly resolved on both ends
  • pressing the YES button while uploading does not interrupt uploading (as it should)
  • a memory card uploaded a second time without resetting the vote center is properly tagged on both ends as already uploaded
  • resetting a vote center in GEMS properly allows the memory card to be uploaded again (with the exception noted below)
  • a vote center is queued for download (with the AccuVote connected to the host and powered on), the port started, then stopped on the console, the console closed, re-opened, three times, after which the vote center downloads successfully
  • the same vote center is queued for download (with the AccuVote connected to the host and powered on), the port started and stopped three times without closing the console - on the fourth attempt the port is not stopped and the vote successfully downloads
  • a download is aborted on the Accu-Vote end three times whereupon it successfully downloads
 Problems:
  • Powering the AccuVote off at the end of Election Mode and on again in order to bring it into Post-Election Mode causes 'Print Election Results Report' to be erroneously displayed before 'Send Results by Telephone', followed by 'Send Results by Direct Mode' and 'Print Election Results Report' again.  'Send Results by Telephone' subsequently correctly appears at the beginning of the Post-Election Mode prompt cycle.
  • A newly programmed memory card is taken into Supervisor Functions in Pre-Election Mode, memory card duplication requested and the AccuVote powered off when the 'Insert Blank Memory Card' prompt is displayed.  After powering the unit on the long Zero Totals report is printed with 'Copies Made' erroneously set to 1
  • this is probably of little importance, but pressing both the YES and NO buttons causes overvoted and blank voted ballots to be returned with the corresponding messages - I seem to recall in testing some 1.94x firmware that the override effect would persist when pressing both YES and NO
  • after downloading a memory card, the Unvoted and Fully Voted Ballot Tests are performed, then the Zero Totals report printed and ballots fed in Count Test - the Audit report subsequently indicates that a Download Zero report has been printed (as opposed to a Test Zero report)
 
Nel Finberg
nel@gesn.com