EAC - Voluntary Voting System Guidelines

Name : | Robert Richie
Organization : | FairVote - Center of Voting and Democracy
Post Date : | 7/20/2005
Section Comments
Section : | 2.2.8.2
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Comment : | Suggested changes are in paranthesis: 2.2.8.2 Voting Variations There are significant variations among state election laws with respect to permissible ballot contents, voting options, and the associated ballot counting logic. The Technical Data Package accompanying the system shall specifically identify which of the following items can and cannot be (fully implemented) by the system, as well as how(, including the required time and expense,) the system can implement the items supported: 1. Closed primaries; 2. Open primaries; 3. Partisan offices; 4. Non-partisan offices; 5. Write-in voting; 6. Primary presidential delegation nominations; 7. Ballot rotation; 8. Straight party voting; 9. Cross-party endorsement; 10. Split precincts; 11. Vote for N of M; 12. Recall issues, with options; 13. Cumulative voting (and tabulation); 14. Ranked order voting (and tabulation); and 15. Provisional or challenged ballots. Explanation: The first two modifications ensure that voting systems manufacturers give information detailing not simply whether or not they can accommodate the listed items, but how soon and with what expense their systems can be modified to be fully operation with the listed items. This is vital information for localities who are considering implementing any of the listed items in the future. The addition of (and tabulation) to listed items #13 and 14 ensures that voting systems manufacturers provide information not only on whether their systems can register cumulative and ranked order voting ballots, but also on whether their software can tabulate these votes according to the logic of cumulative and ranked order voting, Without all of these modifications, voting systems manufacturers have too much leeway for ambiguity on whether their systems can fully implement the listed items.