EAC - Voluntary Voting System Guidelines

Name : | Jordi Puiggali
Organization : | Scytl Secure Electronic Voting
Post Date : | 9/9/2005
Section Comments
Section : | A1D
Page no. : | D-6
Line no.: | 15-16
Comment : | [Voume I, Appendix D] Comments on Section 1.2.4 Direct IDV Systems These systems are defined (page D-6, lines 15-16) as those that “…produce a record for voter verification that the voter may verify directly with voter’s sense…”. In the glossary of terms of the Guidelines, Directly Verified is defined as a “Voting system that allows the voter to verify at least one representation of his or her ballot with his/her own senses, not using any software or hardware intermediary. Examples of a directly verified voting system include DRE with a voter verified paper trail or marksense system. This is in contrast with an indirectly verified voting system”. The definition of Directly Verified in the glossary of terms of the Guidelines is too restrictive since it implicidly excludes from this classification any system that does not generate a paper trail. Besides VVPAT and OCR, there are other systems that allow a direct verification with voter’s sense without using paper. As an example, a Direct IDV system could use an independent hardware device (with screen and headphones) connected to the voting terminal that would perform the exact same functions of a printer by displaying the vote on its screen (or reading it through headphones) instead of printing it on paper. Once the displayed vote is confirmed by the voter, the independent device would store an electronic record of the vote. This solution provides the voter with a direct (visual or aural) verification of the vote before casting it. It also provides an independent backup of the votes stored in the voting terminal that could be used to carry out a parallel recount. Because the device is independent from the voting terminal, any involuntary or voluntary error in the voting terminal would be detected by the voter in the independent device. For further information on this alternative Direct IDV system, please see Exhibit B.