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A simple pollbook, eh? What skill level, if any, do pollworkers
have that they can operate any pollbook device. It sounds like these
people would have problems operating an ATM. Any pollbook device will
require some training and skill level to operate. It'll have more than a
numeric keypad on it.
ADA compliance for the booth
shouldn't be a problem. An integrated booth can have a different set of
legs attached to it allowing a wheelchair to roll under the booth and also have
it set at the proper height for access from a wheelchair. Tab is
aware of that criteria for the booth design.
Hundreds to thousands for
testing? It won't be given the chance. As usual, these things
will be sold into accounts prior to any beta testing. And I don't believe
that Global will spend a million dollars on producing a batch of test equipment
just to have it trashed and given away. It'll probably spend that million
on supporting the product while it's being fully developed in the field.
The alpha testing will have to show
the bugs. Unless we hire a half dozen testing personnel this week,
everybody (including sales staff) is going to have to test these
units. With the election season upon us, support staff (field and
in-house) aren't going to have oodles of time to sit there and play with this
new unit. So whoever gets their hands on a prototype, when they
become available, they'd better put it through its paces. Otherwise, don't
come crying...
YEA TEAM!
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, June 05, 2000 5:26 PM
Subject: Re: Pollbook Function
I agree that the cirrent pollbook is too complicated for most
poll workers and can attest to it personally. Since many counties do not
have employees working Early Voting, it is also too difficult for Early Voting
workers (same as poll workers and normally at least 75 years of age).
The only problem I have with the integrated booth approach is the fact that
many states will need to comply to ADA accessibility standards so most of the
competitors booths are not a good place to start in booth design. Texas
is the first in mandating these standards for the handicapped and we have used
a regular 6 foot table with one unit and a table top secrecy booth (the
regulare units are three to a table). This may not be the best solution
but it beats the heck out of the self contained booths of some of our
competitors. Consequently, if we design an integrated booth concept, it
must address all the ADA requirements that will be sweeping the other states
shortly!
I totally agree with the testing procedures and hardware to test
hundreds/thousands of units in a timely manner. Also, I agree that we
need input from the field personnel that have run these elections to insure
that we as a company do not miss some important issues in this new design that
will bite us all in the butt later!
Steve Knecht wrote:
After several discussions with Tab, Frank and Deborah the
pollbook issue remains problematic. Frank, Deborah, and I believe that
a laptop with a card burner is NOT a viable option for pollworkers. It
is cumbersome and generally is too complicated for most pollworkers.
It may work fine in an early voting environment, but in the precinct we need
something much simpler. In early voting we can train staff. In the
precinct, we need a turn on, turn off card burner unit (maybe it has its own
pcmcia card so it knows what styles it can burn). Maybe the laptop
pollbook unit is in CE and will boot directly into the application and
effectively do what I'm suggesting. I don't know. The AccuVote-TS is one piece of our new voting system. The
system must include:
- smart card burner (easy to use pollbook
application)
- integrated booth
- testing procedures and hardware to test hundreds or
thousands of units.
I would like to see some
folks in development, management, and field sales re-look at these issues to
insure that all the requirements of this new product are being
considered.
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