Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING ENHANCED SECURITY BALLOT IMAGE
RECORDS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is drawn to the field of voting systems utilizing ballot
images, more
particularly, to audit security in voting systems utilizing ballot images, and
still more particularly,
to a novel system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Liberty in its free expression in votes cast is the presupposition that makes
democratic
political process possible in both the public and private electoral spheres.
The confidence of the
electorate depends on both the impartiality and the accuracy of the vote
count. Factions may
arise with significant interests that may be perceived to be at odds with the
popular will. The
less the cast ballots can be tampered with, the more the votes cast result
will be seen as
impartial and the greater the confidence the electorate will have in the
results of any given
election.
Representative of the heretofore known voting systems utilizing ballot images
are United
States patent 8,913,787 issued December 16, 2014 to Hoover et al. and USP
8,864,026 issued
October 21, 2014 to Coomer et al., each incorporated herein by reference. The
ballot images of
Coomer are provided with unique ballot identification indicia, polling station
identification
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indicia and poll worker identification indicia for ballot image verification
and authentication in
the event of an audit. In Hoover, the ballot images include an election
official area which may be
used by election officials to validate each particular ballot such as by
signing the ballot by
placing initials in an area provided therefor on the corresponding ballot.
In close or contested elections, it may become necessary to produce and audit
the ballot
images to verify the authenticity of the ballots that were cast in tangible
form such as paper
ballots. However, the audit security of the heretofore known voting systems
utilizing ballot
images has been subject to compromise due to the unavailability of voting
records from loss or
corruption; due to ballot insertions and/or ballot tampering; and/or due to
suspicion that the
intent of the electorate has not been honored.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to reduce if not eliminate audit
insecurity due to the
unavailability of records from loss or corruption. In accord therewith, the
present invention
discloses an enhanced security ballot image tabulator providing an enhanced
security ballot
image record representative of corresponding ones of a plurality of ballots
tabulated thereby, that
fixes it in a tangible, publically accessible preferably secure medium and/or
broadcasts the
enhanced security ballot image record in real time and/or otherwise makes it
available for the
public to individually and/or collectively review, validate and to
authenticate.
Ballot images or other files that are broadcast or otherwise made available to
the public
may be in a format that is viewable and browsable by citizens or others with
access to computers
and internet or monitors with video feed. A format is chosen to enable
legibility, at an
image/frame rate to match the tabulation rate of the tabulator, or the
bandwidth constraints of the
broadcast means.
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Another object of the present invention is to reduce if not eliminate audit
insecurity due
to election results that may have been compromised by ballot insertions and/or
ballot tampering.
In accord therewith, the present invention discloses an enhanced security
serial ballot image
tabulator tabulating a plurality of ballots providing a serial ballot image
record of enhanced
security diachronically and synchronically coordinated ballot image files each
representative of
corresponding ones of the plurality of ballots serially tabulated thereby.
Ballot image files are time and date stamped at their tabulation moment.
Ballot image files include the ballot number, ballots being locatable within
the series for
example by search for a ballot's ballot number.
Ballot image files include a locator number that is their order within the
series, such as a
video frame number.
Ballot image files include the running tabulation at any given ballot in the
series of ballots
being tabulated. Voter marks are detected and read and a running tabulation is
appended to each
ballot image file for each race field, including a highlight that may be
provided to indicate a
change in the number from the previous tabulation (previous ballot image) in
the series.
A photograph of the environment of the tabulation device may be recorded at
the time of
each ballot image capture and tabulation.
A further object of the present invention is to reduce if not eliminate audit
insecurity due
to the suspicion that the intent of the electorate is not being honored in
close or contested
elections. In accord therewith, the present invention discloses an enhanced
security ballot image
audit station that receives said enhanced security ballot image record, and
among other things,
selectively determines whether ballot images have out-of-bounds diachronic
and/or synchronic
security parameters and/or other security parameters and flags for
authentication and possible
invalidation the corresponding ballots whose ballot images are not
diachronically and/or
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synchronically coordinated or are otherwise out-of-bounds.
While a citizen auditor for example may capture the stream of files in real
time as the
tabulation is being broadcast, the viewing of the resulting video file is
enabled at a single frame
rate or through targeted searches to examine various races or anomalies.
A browser application including means for isolating individual races and
presenting the
voter marks for close scrutiny preferably may be provided, along with the
running tabulation and
ballot number as a visual field spread-sheet or column, so as to allow the
rapid evaluation of how
the machine read and tallied the vote as compared to the auditor's
interpretation while studying
the data supplied to the public.
A random ballots sample may be pulled from the stack after tabulation, and
their ballot
numbers looked up on the resulting ballot image file and the marked votes are
compared between
the hard copy and the image files, to detect substitution ballots.
Those who did vote can search the ballot image series file for their own
ballot serial
number (which they for example recorded while in the ballot booth, and took
with them for later
verification) and verify that the marks on the ballot of record are in fact
the marks they made, and
were tabulated correctly, and that their vote was added to the tally from the
previous ballot, and
was carried over to the following ballot.
The tabulation speed, as evidenced by the time and date stamp interval
(indicating the
effective ballots per second) may be compared to the known limit of the
tabulation device.
The environment of the device at the time of a given ballot's tabulation may
be viewed, so
as to provide information as to time and place and personnel and activity in
the vicinity of the
equipment, potentially disclosing a scene that does not fit the time and facts
that should correlate
with the moment.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects, advantageous aspects and inventive features of the
present
invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by
referring to the
following, solely exemplary, detailed description of the presently preferred
embodiments, and to
the drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a pictorial diagram useful in explaining the manner of use of an
enhanced
security ballot image tabulator in accord with the system and method providing
enhanced
security ballot image records of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a schematic pictorial view of a typical prior art ballot for an
exemplary
governmental election;
FIGURE 3 is a schematic pictorial view of a ballot image of the same ballot as
in
FIGURE 2 to include information tabulated in accord with the enhanced security
ballot image
tabulator of the system and method providing enhanced security ballot image
records in accord
with the present invention;
FIGURE 4 is a functional block diagram of an enhanced security ballot image
tabulator of
the system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records in
accord with the
present invention;
FIGURE 5A is pictorial diagram schematically illustrating an enhanced security
ballot
image record of the enhanced security ballot image tabulator of the system and
method providing
enhanced security ballot image records in accord with the present invention;
FIGURE 5B is a pictorial diagram schematically illustrating an enhanced
security ballot
image file constitutive of the enhanced security ballot image record of the
enhanced security
ballot image tabulator of the system and method providing enhanced security
ballot image
CA 2992350 2018-01-19
records in accord with the present invention;
FIGURE 6 is a block diagram useful in explaining the operation of the enhanced
security
ballot image tabulator of the system and method providing enhanced security
ballot image
records in accord with the present invention;
FIGURE 7 is a functional block diagram of an enhanced security ballot image
audit
station for receiving and selectively reviewing enhanced security ballot image
records of the
system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records in accord
with the present
invention;
FIGURE 8 is a block diagram useful in explaining the operation of the enhanced
security
ballot image audit station for receiving and reviewing enhanced security
ballot image records of
the system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records in
accord with the
present invention; and
FIGURES 9-12 are schematic pictorial diagrams illustrating different exemplary
out-of-
bounds diachronic and synchronic security parameters that are potentially
detectable by the
enhanced security ballot image audit station of the system and method
providing enhanced
security ballot image records in accord with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIGURE 1, generally designated at 10 is a pictorial diagram
useful in
explaining the manner of use of an enhanced security ballot image tabulator in
accord with the
system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records of the
present invention. A
polling place is schematically illustrated by dashed box 12. The polling place
12 may be
governmental such as a state election precinct or may be non-governmental such
as a corporation
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or other organization or other body where offices or matters are to be
democratically decided by
voting. The polling place 12 includes one or more voting stations 14
designated "VS 1, VSk and
VSn." The polling place 12 may include any voting machine adapted to receive a
paper ballot
having the races and matters to be voted on such as voting machines utilizing
paper ballots
and/or any voting machine adapted to electronically display a ballot image
having the races and
matters to be voted on, to record the votes cast for the races or matters
listed on the electronic
ballot, and a printer or other means or method for providing tangible ballots
representative of the
ballot images having any votes cast thereon.
An enhanced security ballot image tabulator 16 to be described that may be
located in the
polling place 12 receives each of a plurality of ballots to be tabulated
schematically illustrated by
arrow 18 from the one or more voting stations 14 and tabulates them in a
manner to be described
to provide an enhanced security ballot image record schematically illustrated
by arrow 20. As
appears more fully herein, the enhanced security ballot image record 20,
constituted by a plurality
of diachronically and synchronically coordinated ballot image files, may be
stored preferably in
secure media for later review in the case of a contested election or by
interested parties and/or
broadcast during or after tabulation is completed for real time or post-
tabulation review by election
officials, the electorate or other interested parties. As will be readily
appreciated, the original paper
or other tangible ballots are securely archived with a proper chain of
custody.
If more than one tabulator is employed, a tabulator serial number or other
parameter may
be used to identify each tabulator and to distinguish their respective
enhanced security ballot
image records from those of the other tabulators.
Referring now to FIGURE 2, generally designated at 30 is a schematic pictorial
view of a
typical prior art ballot. As shown, the ballot 30 includes races, matters that
are listed for decision
by the electorate, as schematically illustrated by bracket 32, as well as
ballot validation
information, including the date the ballot was delivered to the voter, the
precinct number, the
polling station, and a preprinted ballot number, all as schematically
illustrated by bracket 34.
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Referring now to FIGURE 3, generally designated at 40 is a schematic pictorial
view of a
ballot image of the same ballot as in FIGURE 2 to include information
tabulated in accord with
the enhanced security ballot image tabulator of the system and method
providing enhanced
security ballot image records of the present invention. As appears more fully
below, the tabulator
serially processes each of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated and
generates, for each serially
processed ballot, enhanced security diachronic and synchronic parameters.
As shown, the ballot image 40 has ballot validation information, including the
date the
ballot was delivered to the voter, the precinct number, the polling station,
and the preprinted
ballot serial number, as schematically illustrated by bracket 42, as does the
ballot 30 of FIGURE
2, but in addition thereto, the ballot image 40 has first tabulator-generated
diachronic security
parameter information to be described representative of the current counts for
races and/or
matters, as schematically illustrated by bracket 44; second tabulator-
generated diachronic
security parameter information to be described representative of the unique
time and date it was
serially processed; third tabulator-generated diachronic security parameter
information to be
described representative of its serial number at the time of tabulation, as
schematically
illustrated by bracket 46, and at least one synchronic security parameter
information to be
described, preferably a room view image, synchronous with each ballot being
serially tabulated
as schematically illustrated by bracket 48.
It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art the enhanced security
ballot image
tabulator may employ other diachronic security parameters intrinsic to the
serial tabulation of the
serially processed ballots of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated and may
employ other
synchronic security parameters extrinsic of and synchronous with the serial
tabulation of each of
the serially processed ballots of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated
thereby without departing
from the inventive concepts.
Referring now to FIGURE 4, generally designated at 60 is a functional block
diagram of
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an enhanced security ballot image tabulator in accord with the system and
method providing
enhanced security ballot image records of the present invention. The tabulator
60 includes a
serial ballot handler 62. The serial ballot handler 62 may be a mechanical
device adapted to
receive paper or other tangible ballots to be tabulated and to serially
process them thereinthrough
on a particular day and at a certain time at a feed rate, each with another
serially increasing
tabulator-generated number, respectively designated "tds" and "sn." "Tds"
stands for "time date
stamp" and is a diachronic parameter representative of the exact time of
tabulation of each
serially processed ballot and it will be a number that is its unique time and
date stamp. "Sn"
stands for "serial number" and is a diachronic parameter representative of the
tabulator-generated
serial number and it will be a number that increases by one (1) or other
predetermined number
with each successive ballot tabulated, which may be a frame number in the case
of a video
imaging format or a page number in the case of a serial image format, such as
PowerPoint. For
example, if the handler's feed rate is ten (10) ballots per second, the
serially increasing tabulator-
generated serial number uniquely associated with each serially processed paper
ballot would be a
magnitude increasing by one (1) every one tenth (1/10) of a second.
In some broadcast embodiments described herein, the ongoing tabulation may be
simulcast in real time for public review. In these embodiments, a video
formatting frame rate is
selected so as not to exceed the limitations of the feed rate. For example,
the video format frame
rate would be less than or equal to the feed rate so as to not generate more
than one video frame
for each serially processed ballot.
A ballot image station 64 is operatively coupled to the serial ballot handler
62. The ballot
image station 64 may be a video or still camera or a digital scanner or other
means adapted to
receive from the serial ballot handler 62 each ballot, not shown, of the
series of ballots to be
tabulated and for each ballot to make a true image thereof designated "bi,"
each at another
tabulator-generated time and date stamp ("tds") and corresponding tabulator-
generated serial
number ("sn").
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A higher resolution image of each ballot may be recorded simultaneously by the
same
camera or scanner or other imaging device, at a higher resolution than the
video resolution
provided to the public. Such a high resolution image may be useful in later
adjudicating
ambiguous vote marks.
The functions of the serial ballot handler module 62 and ballot image station
64 may, for
example, be included in a single module, such as a paper scanning device.
A ballot image analysis module 66 is operatively coupled to the ballot image
station 64.
The ballot image analyzer may include an OCR device or other means adapted to
recognize
which races and matters have cast votes from each ballot image that
respectively corresponds to
another one of the ballots to be tabulated and may include software or other
means adapted to
tabulate a cumulative running count of the cast votes maintained current with
each ballot image
corresponding to another one of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated for
each race and matter
designated "rc; m,r." The designation "rc; m,r" stands for "running count;
matters and races."
Although the parameters "tds" and "sn" are associated with the handler module
62, and
the "rc; m, r" parameter is associated with the ballot image module 66, it
will be appreciated
these parameters can be produced in alternative embodiments by other modules
without
departing from the inventive concepts.
An enhanced security record compiler module 68 that may include a human input
control
interface device and/or a programmed controller or other control mechanism is
operatively
connected to the modules 62, 64, 66 and adapted to coordinate their operation
to provide the
enhanced security ballot image records to be described of the present
invention.
A room camera 70 and a memory 72 are operatively connected to the record
compiler
module 68.
A broadcast module 74 is operatively coupled to the record compiler 68 that is
adapted to
CA 2992350 2018-01-19
simulcast the enhanced security ballot image files of the enhanced security
ballot image record
during tabulation for public view and/or broadcast the enhanced security
ballot image record
upon completion of tabulation.
Other means than or in addition to the room camera 70 to provide synchronic
security
parameters may be employed that may include a microphone providing an ambient
soundtrack,
compass information, G.P.S. data, barometric pressure, temperature, or other
parameter that
uniquely identifies each ballot with respect to an extrinsic, objectively
valid data reference or
datum. A fingerprint scanner may be among the inputs, and may also function as
a scanning
initiator for each batch of ballots entered into the tabulation device; it may
also be the "start"
button for the boot or the tabulation. The fingerprint data or image file may
be stored as an
appended file of the initial ballot, or incorporated into the enhanced ballot
image file.
Fingerprint data may be compared to room view image, and time sheets for
election workers.
An iris scanner, or galvanic skin response sensor, or a breathalyser, or other
biometric
measurement, could also be employed.
The memory 72 may be a secure write-once read-only memory.
Referring now to FIGURE 5A, generally designated at 80 is pictorial diagram
illustrating
an enhanced security ballot image record of the enhanced security ballot image
tabulator of the
system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records in accord
with the present
invention. The enhanced security ballot image record 80 includes a plurality
of constitutive
enhanced security ballot image files schematically illustrated by bracket 82
each corresponding to
another one of the ballots to be tabulated.
The constituent enhanced security ballot image files 82 of the enhanced
security ballot
image record 80 may be arranged into a sequential image viewing format, such
as a video format,
or PowerPoint type, so as to provide sequential viewing of its constitutive
enhanced security
ballot image files by a browser or other viewing application as schematically
illustrated by an
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arrow 84.
The enhanced security ballot image record of the present invention presents
information
that is consistent with, and provided in parallel to, the printed "results
tape" that may be required
by law in various jurisdictions.
Referring now to FIGURE 5B, generally designated at 90 is a pictorial diagram
schematically illustrating an enhanced security ballot image file constitutive
of the enhanced
security ballot image record 80 (FIGURE 5A) of the enhanced security ballot
image tabulator of
the system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records of the
present
invention. Each enhanced security ballot image file 90 corresponding to
another one of the
plurality of ballots to be tabulated includes its respective ballot image 92
designated "bi," its
associated tabulator-generated diachronic security parameter 94 representative
of its respective
time and date stamp, designated "tds," its corresponding tabulator-generated
serial number,
designated "sn," its current tabulator-generated cumulative running votes cast
count tabulation,
designated "rc; m, r," for all races and/or matters, and its associated
synchronic room view
image security parameter 96, designated "rv," synchronous therewith.
The ballot images 92 and synchronous room view parameters 96 of each enhanced-
security ballot image file 90 may be formatted as images, and the diachronic
parameters 94
thereof may be formatted as images and/or data without departing from the
inventive concepts.
As will be readily appreciated by those of skill in the art, the enhanced
security ballot
image record of constitutive diachronically and synchronically coordinated
ballot image files one
for each of the ballots to be tabulated provides a linked information network
that makes it
extremely difficult to tamper with the vote without detection, as the means of
tampering entail
having to fabricate content that is contextually linked to other data in the
series that does not
change, when the series of ballot images with the additional in-file data are
viewed or analyzed
as a series within the whole. Attempts to insert or delete ballots or alter or
remove voter marks
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would require knowledge of the tally at the insertion point, and the
alteration of every subsequent
frame all the way to the last ballot. If the ballot images are broadcast in
real time, or near real
time as they are recorded, or if the poll workers and observers are provided
with a digital copy of
the ballot image series with running tabulations embedded in the images,
subsequent efforts to
alter the series are not possible without detection by quick comparison to
these original records.
Referring now to FIGURE 6, generally designated at 100 is a block diagram
useful in explaining the operation of the enhanced security ballot image
tabulator of the
system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records in accord
with the
present invention.
As shown by a block 102, the ballots of the plurality of ballots to be
tabulated are
individually read at a tabulator feed rate, date and feed time.
As shown by a block 104, each ballot of the plurality of ballots to be
tabulated is then
imaged with corresponding tabulator-generated time and date stamps ("tds") and
with
tabulator-generated serial numbers ("sn").
As shown by a block 106, each ballot image respectively corresponding to
individual
ones of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated is then analyzed to detect
cast votes for each race
and matter and to serially provide a running tabulation thereof cumulative of
all cast votes that is
maintained current to each serially processed ballot image. For example, for
the first fed ballot in
the series of ballots being tabulated, a vote is cast for a certain candidate
giving a running
tabulation for that candidate of one (1) vote, at the moment the ballot is
tabulated. For the second
ballot in the series of ballots being tabulated, another vote is cast for the
same candidate, and,
associated with the second ballot, a running vote cast tabulation of two (2)
for that candidate. In
the third ballot, no vote is cast for that candidate and the running votes
cast tabulation for that
candidate is unchanged.
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As shown by a block 108, an enhanced security ballot image file corresponding
to
individual ones of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated is then compiled
that preferably includes
its ballot image, its respective time and date stamp ("tds"), its tabulator-
generated serial number
("sn)", its running cast votes tabulation ("rc; m, r"), and its room view
image ("rv"), each for
another one of the ballots of the plurality of serially tabulated ballots.
As shown by a block 110, an enhanced security ballot image record of all of
the
enhanced security ballot image files each corresponding to another one of the
plurality of
ballots to be tabulated is then compiled.
The enhanced security ballot image record may be formatted for sequential
viewing of its
constitutive enhanced security ballot image files in the case of an audit by
election officials or
review by the public or other interested parties. Any image browser capable of
single frame
viewing may be employed. To get the enhanced security ballot image record to
the public in a
timely manner, a standard resolution browser may be used. A video frame rate
may be selected so
as to match the capture or feed rate of the ballots in order that the
bandwidth requirements for
transmission and reception may be kept to a minimum, despite very high
resolutions and
consequently large ballot image individual file sizes which may be necessary
in the case of a
large ballot. The frame rate may be chosen so as to match the capture and
processing rate, so as
to reduce image compression and thereby improve resolution, so as to image the
ballot legibly.
The aspect ratio of ballots may be chosen so as to fit the image of the ballot
into a standard video
or other sequential image browsing format, while leaving a portion of the
image frame blank, so
as to allow space to include additional data and imagery in the same frame.
The additional area
may be alternatively located within the area of the ballot image, if the
ballot includes a blank area
suitably located or designated for that purpose. A data field may be created
adjacent to each
candidate's name or ballot initiative on the ballot for the purpose of a
running tabulation.
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A high resolution image of the entire ballot may be divided into smaller
portions, so as to
fit within the format limitations of the output format chosen, for the purpose
of a lower resolution
broadcast or other distribution to the public or other observers. For example,
a large ballot
requiring three thousand by two thousand (3000 x 2000) pixel resolution to
record all the text and
ballot marks at sufficient resolution to read clearly could be divided into
four (4) quadrants of
fifteen hundred by one thousand (1500 x 1000) pixels each, with each quadrant
incorporated into
a standard one thousand nine hundred twenty by one thousand eighty (1920 x
1080) video
format, with room for appending an image field for the time and data and
additional information.
Reformatting for other image formats or video formats may be accomplished so
as to provide the
most commonly viewable format within the constraints of the image size
requirements, as well as
changing standards and formatting, so as to provide for public audit of the
ballot images and
tally. If the ballot is intended to be recorded in this fashion, it's useful
to further include the ballot
number, date, precinct number etc. in each section of the ballot to be
presented as a separate
frame, so that original identifying information is preserved in every frame of
output.
As shown by a block 112, the enhanced security ballot image record may then be
stored
upon compilation of each ballot image file corresponding to another serially
processed ballot of
the ballots to be tabulated and/or may be stored when compilation has been
completed for all the
enhanced security ballot image files of the ballots of the plurality of
ballots to be tabulated. The
record as stored may include metadata such as in Exchange image file format
(Exif).
As shown by a block 114, the enhanced security ballot image record may then be
broadcast when compilation has been completed for all ballots of the plurality
of ballots to be
tabulated after polls are closed and/or simulcast for public view upon
compilation of each ballot
image file individually corresponding to another ballot of the plurality of
ballots to be tabulated
as they are each processed serially at the time of tabulation after polls are
closed.
The last enhanced ballot image in the series is the result; it shows the
cumulative votes in
all races. It may be printed out as a "final ballot and preliminary tally" in
multiple copies, and
CA 2992350 2018-01-19
signed by the election judge, then distributed with a CD or other secure
media, along with a
results tape, to the normal places; the judge keeps one, one goes to
county/central count, a copy
to each observer etc. That page is postable immediately on the intemet as an
image file. Also, at
any point along the succession of ballots being tabulated, a frame may be
copied and posted,
showing the count at that point; this is useful in very large precincts where
it takes a long time to
feed all of the ballots, e.g., at ten (10) ballots per second, thirty thousand
(30,000) votes would
take fifty (50) minutes to tabulate. Some might like to see data points along
the way, which
would be available, without interrupting the tabulation, by pulling an
enhanced security ballot
image file out of the series, for publication. This serves a purpose similar
to a "results tape"
printout as is currently used, if provided in conjunction with the digital
record. Results tapes
currently may have a signature by the election judge at their terminus page.
Referring now to FIGURE 7, generally designated at 120 is a functional block
diagram of
an enhanced security ballot image audit station for receiving and selectively
reviewing enhanced
security ballot image records of the system and method providing enhanced
security ballot image
records in accord with the present invention useful among other things in the
event of a contested
election to identify possibly invalid ballots and or by members of the public
or other parties
interested in assuring themselves that the intent of the electorate is not
being thwarted.
The audit station 120 includes a receiver 122. The receiver 122 may be a
broadcast
receiver, internet capable browser and/or among other things a secure memory
device such as a
secure flash drive adapted to receive the enhanced security ballot image
records of the system
and method providing enhanced security ballot image records of the present
invention. A
programmed controller 124 including a memory 126 is operatively connected to
the receiver 122.
The programmed controller 124 is adapted to receive the enhanced security
ballot image records
received by the receiver 122, to store it locally in the memory 126 and in
response to user input
control information, to look up individually selected ballot image files or
other data and/or to
scan the record to determine which enhanced security ballot image files
constitutive of the
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enhanced security ballot image record may have out-of-bounds diachronic and/or
synchronic
security parameters, and/or to scan the record and/or files and/or data for
other possible security
parameter or other violations.
A display 128 that may display a web browser or other interface and a user
input and
control interface 130 that may include a keyboard and/or mouse are operatively
connected to the
programmed controller 124.
Referring now to FIGURE 8, generally designated at 140 is a block diagram
useful in
explaining the operation of the enhanced security ballot image audit station
for reviewing
enhanced security ballot image records of the system and method providing
enhanced
security ballot image records in accord with the present invention.
As shown by a block 142, the enhanced security audit station receives the
enhanced
security ballot image record.
As shown by a block 144, the enhanced security audit station may be operated
to select,
identify and to flag out-of-bounds diachronic security parameters.
As shown by a block 146, the enhanced security audit station may be operated
to select,
identify and to flag out-of-bounds synchronic security parameters.
As shown by a block 148, the enhanced security audit station may be operated
to review
ballot images sequentially and/or to review ballot images corresponding to
flagged ballot image
files and/or to check for violations of other security or other parameters
and/or to identify and
view any selected ballot image, or area, field or race, or measure therein,
including the view of a
plurality of ballot image fields reformat into a spreadsheet, so as to
facilitate the examination of
selected races allowing viewing of large numbers of ballot images
simultaneously.
With reference to FIGURES 9-12, different exemplary out-of-bounds diachronic
and
synchronic security parameters that are potentially detectable by the enhanced
security ballot
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image audit station of the system and method providing enhanced security
ballot image records
in accord with the present invention will now be described. Other out-of-
bounds diachronic
security parameter violations, synchronic security parameter violations,
diachronic/synchronic
security violation parameters and/or other security parameter or other
violations are possible
without departing from the inventive concepts.
Referring now to FIGURE 9, generally designated at 160 is a schematic
pictorial diagram
that illustrates an exemplary diachronic time out-of-sync condition. The boxes
162, 164
schematically represent successive ballot image files designated "fk, fk+1"
bearing diachronic
time of feed security parameters designated "tdsk, tdsk+1." An exemplary
diachronic time out-of-
sync parameter violation would be indicated for the corresponding ballot image
files 162, 164
should the inverse of the time interval between successive time and date
stamps be greater than
the capture speed determined by the tabulator's maximum feed rate. In any
contest, the
corresponding out-of-sync ballot image files 162, 164 could be readily
identified and audited for
authentication and possible invalidation. For example, given a tabulator with
a maximum feed
rate of ten (10) ballots per second, the time interval of one twentieth (1/20)
of a second between
successive time and date stamps would indicate a feed rate that exceeds the
tabulator's capacity.
Referring now to FIGURE 10, generally designated at 170 is a schematic
pictorial
diagram that illustrates an exemplary diachronic tabulator-generated serial
number out-of-sync
condition. The boxes 172, 174 schematically represent successive ballot image
files "fk, fk+1"
bearing diachronic tabulator-generated serial number security parameters
designated "snk,
snk+1." An exemplary diachronic tabulator-generated serial number out-of-sync
parameter
violation would be indicated for the corresponding ballot image files 172, 174
should the
difference in serial numbers be other than one (1) or other predetermined
serial increase
parameter. In any contest, the corresponding out-of-sync ballot image files
172, 174 could be
readily identified and audited for authentication and possible invalidation.
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Referring now to FIGURE 11, generally designated at 180 is a schematic
pictorial
diagram that illustrates an exemplary synchronic room view out-of-sync
condition. The boxes
182, 184 schematically represent successive ballot image files designated "fk,
fk+1," bearing
successive diachronic serial number security parameters designated "snk,
snk+1,"bearing
diachronic time and date stamp security parameters designated "tdsk, tdsk+1"
and bearing
synchronic room view security parameters respectively designated "rvk (person
X or day)" and
"rvk+1 (person Y or night)." An exemplary synchronic room view out-of-sync
parameter
violation would be indicated for the corresponding ballot image files 182, 184
should the
difference in the people present or time of day in the corresponding
synchronous room view
images of successive enhanced security ballot image files unexplainably change
relative to the
time interval between successive time and date stamps. In any contest, the
corresponding out-
of- sync ballot image files 182, 184 could be audited for authentication and
possible
invalidation.
Referring now to FIGURE 12, generally designated at 190 is a schematic
pictorial
diagram that illustrates another exemplary diachronic running vote count
tabulation out-of-sync
condition. The boxes 192, 194 schematically represent successive ballot image
files designated
"fk, fk+1," bearing successive diachronic tabulator-generated serial number
security parameters
designated "snk, snk+1," bearing diachronic time of feed security parameters
designated "tdsk,
tdsk+1," and bearing diachronic running vote count tabulation security
parameters respectively
designated "rck(race X tab 10)" and "rck+1(race X tab 9)," where "tab"
represents tabulation. An
exemplary diachronic running counts out-of-sync parameter violation would be
indicated for the
corresponding ballot image files 192, 194 should the difference in the running
count tabulation
for any race or matter between successive ballots not equal zero (0) or plus
one (1). In any
contest, the corresponding out-of-sync ballot image files 192, 194 could be
readily identified and
audited for authentication and possible invalidation.
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Many modifications and embodiments will become apparent to those of skill in
the art
having benefitted by the disclosure of the present invention without departing
from the inventive
concepts.
Voter sign-in sheets at the poll constitute an additional security parameter,
as they are the
official record of who was registered to vote, who did vote, on what day they
voted, and who did
not vote. An element to empower the electorate and other interested parties in
carrying out an
audit of the results is by way of providing the voter sign-in information,
preferably in the form of
an image file recorded from each sign-in sheet, and as a series of image files
formatted for
viewing frame by frame, that may be accomplished using the same equipment used
to scan the
ballots. The series of sign-in sheets may be broadcast or posted or otherwise
provided to auditors
and election officials, for the purpose of correlation with the enhanced
ballot image record. By
making sign-in sheets and ballots both available for analysis together,
several data security
checks are realized by way of spot checking.
The total number of ballots should match the total number of voters who signed
in to
vote. Registered voters who didn't vote can verify that they are indicated on
the sign-in sheet as
having not voted, rather than their potential vote having become the place-
holder for a counterfeit
ballot. The public may peruse the list of voters for dead people, felons, and
people who don't
exist, or are listed several times. Those who did vote can search the ballot
image series files for
their own ballot serial number which they recorded while in the ballot booth,
and verify that the
marks on the ballot of record are in fact the marks they made, and were
tabulated correctly, and
that their vote was added to the tally from the previous ballot, and was
carried over to the
following enhanced ballot image file's tabulation.
Voter sign-in sheets may be designed so as to fit the ballot tabulation
equipment, so that
the paper handling, imaging function, cast vote discrimination function,
running count cast vote
tabulation function and broadcast and publishing functions of the tabulator
equipment may be
accomplished by one machine, and used for the purpose of distributing the
voter sign-in sheet
CA 2992350 2018-01-19
images to the public contemporaneously with the enhanced security ballot image
files and/or
records. The smaller number of sign-in sheets could be broadcast or published
prior to the larger
number of enhanced security ballot image files and/or record and their
tabulation. Summary data
read from the sign-in sheets may be appended as a data file, or image file, or
made searchable
through OCR or summaries from OCR derived data analysis of the sign-in sheet
images.
It will be readily appreciated by those of skill in the art that the enhanced
security ballot
image tabulator of the present invention and its feeder, imager, analyzer and
compiler modules
cooperative to provide enhanced security ballot image records of constitutive
ballot image files
each for another ballot of the serially processed ballots of the plurality of
ballots to be
tabulated having diachronically and synchronically coordinated security
parameters may be
variously embodied without departing from the inventive concepts including for
example a
suitably programmed smartphone, tablet, or phablet with imaging, enhanced
security ballot
image processing and enhanced ballot image record compiling functions. The
enhanced
security ballot image audit station and its constitutive receiver, controller,
I/0 interface and
display cooperative to scroll enhanced-security ballot image records and
constitutive files and
to scan the record for enhanced-security files having out-of-sync diachronic
and/or synchronic
parameters and/or other security or other parameters may also be variously
embodied without
departing from inventive concepts.
The principles of the present invention will have applications in many
different voting
systems employing paper or other tangible ballots without departing from the
inventive concepts.
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