Precinct voting system
View Patent ↗An electronic voting system includes a controller and one or more voting stations. The voting stations each have a liquid crystal display that is electronically configurable to present voters with ballot information. A mobile ballot box includes memory storage that is used to transport electronic ballot data to and from an election headquarters. The visual display on the LCD at the casting of each ballot is checked against electronic records of votes, as they are stored. The electronic ballot information includes a plurality of ballot styles that the controller selectively provides to the voting stations depending upon voter authorization corresponding to a particular style. The voting stations may be retrofitted with access units that facilitate voting by disabled or physically challenged persons. A complete audit trail is maintained of all operator interaction with the controller.
1. A precinct electronic voting system for use in elections, comprising:
a controller configured with an interactive menu system permitting a poll worker to preside over an election;
electronic ballot information stored on said system;
at least one voting station coupled with said controller to form a network that is physically configured to reside at a precinct location,
said voting station having an electronically configurable display for presenting indicia representative of said electronic ballot information to voters;
a member selected from the group consisting of a mobile memory and a telecommunications connection for transferring said electronic ballot information between an election administration station and said controller; and
program logic resident at the controller for selecting and disseminating portions of the electronic ballot information between the controller and the voting station on a voter-specific basis to facilitate cooperable interaction between the voting station and the electronically configurable display, the cooperable interaction being directed by the program logic to assist the voter in casting votes during the election.
2. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said electronically configurable display is a liquid crystal display.
3. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said voting station is programmed with voter logic for navigating through said indicia to present a voter with a ballot focus comprising a single selected ballot element.
4. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the ballot focus changes format for visual presentation to the voter when selected.
5. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 4 , wherein said ballot focus is selected from the group consisting of darkened ballot elements, ballot elements having a changed font, and ballot elements having a changed color.
6. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said controller contains machine instructions permitting interactive configuration of said voting station prior to opening of polls for election purposes, said interactive configuration including manipulation of user input devices by a poll worker in said voting stations as prompted by said controller.
7. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said electronic ballot information has a data structure formed as a hierarchy of pages.
8. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said electronic ballot information comprises a plurality of different ballot styles and said program logic includes logic for assigning a selected ballot style to a particular voter according to eligibility to vote in a predetermined selection of elections.
9. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said controller includes a voter access code generator for voter entry at said voting station, said voter access code being unique on said system during a single election.
10. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said voter access code generator generates a voter access code that is substantially dissimilar to other voter access codes currently assigned for use on said system to prevent voters from mistakenly entering an erroneous voter access code.
11. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said voting station is selectively configured with a disabled access unit.
12. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 11 , wherein said disabled access unit includes audio system for replicating said electronic ballot information and adaptors configured for coupling with special controls for physically challenged persons.
13. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said voting station is configured to operate on an automated RS-485 network termination circuit permitting separation of individual voting stations from LCD DREs without interruption of network operations.
14. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 13 , wherein said automated RS-485 network termination circuit is modified to permit termination at each voting station without having a conventional network termination circuit installed in each voting station.
15. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to permit suspended early voting sessions over a period of days prior to an actual election day.
16. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 including electronic means for verifying that indicia presented on said electronically configurable display matches votes being cast and stored as a voter concludes interaction with said voting station.
17. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 including program logic for storing a complete ballot image of votes that are cast by each voter.
18. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 17 , wherein said system includes a plurality of stack memory registers and the program logic is configured for selecting the stack registers for storage of ballot image data through use of a random number generator.
19. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 17 , wherein said stack memory registers have a common point of origin.
20. The electronic voting system as set forth in claim 1 including program logic for providing a complete audit trail of all poll worker entries at said controller during an election.
21. A vote recording device for use as a network component in casting ballots in an election, comprising
an electronically configurable display;
program logic for receiving electronic ballot information from the network and for processing the electronic ballot information to configure the electronically configurable display to display the electronic ballot information as text,
the electronic ballot information including control information that establishes links between defined ballot elements to govern ballot navigation in a predetermined way by movement of a ballot focus to indicate a selected ballot element;
a user input area including a rotary input device for voter interaction according to the control information to move the ballot focus on the electronically configurable display as a visual indicator that identifies a voter choice in the casting of ballots; and
means for transmitting cast ballot information to the network.
22. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 21 , wherein said electronically configurable display has a flat viewing surface.
23. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 21 , wherein the rotary input device cooperates with the display to present a voter with a ballot focus comprising a single selected ballot element.
24. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 23 , wherein the ballot focus changes format for visual presentation to the voter when selected.
25. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 24 , wherein said ballot focus is selected from the group consisting of darkened ballot elements, ballot elements having a changed font, and ballot elements having a changed color.
26. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 21 , wherein said electronic ballot information has a data structure formed as a hierarchy of pages, and navigation through the pages is controlled locally at the vote recording device.
27. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 21 , wherein said voting station is selectively configured with a disabled access unit.
28. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 27 , wherein said disabled access unit includes program logic for replicating said electronic ballot information in non-textual fashion and means for coupling with special controls for physically challenged persons.
29. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 21 , wherein said voting station is configured to operate on an automated RS-485 network termination circuit permitting separation of individual voting stations from LCD DREs without interruption of network operations.
30. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 29 , wherein said automated RS-485 network termination circuit is modified to permit termination at the vote recording device.
31. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 21 including a charge coupled device operable for verifying that indicia presented on said electronically configurable display matches votes being cast and stored as a voter concludes interaction with said voting station.
32. The vote recording device as set forth in claim 21 including a selectively removable protective shield covering the electronically configurable screen.