Documentation Of Online Voting System

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Inorder to prepare for an election you will need to program and configure the election management system software, direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machine, electronic ballot marker, optical scan, and any other devices used in an election, as applicable to your jurisdiction. As part of the set-up you should also:

Back-Up Programming: As part of a Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan, you will need to back-up your election programming at various stages of the election definition process.

Security and Record Retention: The election setup materials shall be secured by limiting access to the person or persons so authorized in writing by the county clerk and/or election official. Any audit logs and ballot definition files created shall be included with retention material for that election as outlined in Retention of Election Materials in Section 9.

Hardware Diagnostic Test (TEC 129.022): The general custodian of election records shall commence the Hardware Diagnostic Test prior to the election and allow time for each electronic voting device to be deployed, tested, repaired and/or replaced, if necessary. Each device shall be tested to verify that mechanical components are working correctly. This test shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Post-Election Audit (Partial Manual Count) (TEC, Chapter 127)

NOTE: This section does not apply to the tabulation of electronic voting system results for a voting system that uses direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machines.To ensure the accuracy of the tabulation of electronic voting system results, the general custodian of election records shall conduct a manual count of all the races in at least one percent of the election precincts or in three precincts, whichever is greater, in which the electronic voting system was used. The custodian shall select the precincts at random and shall begin the count not later than 72 hours after the polls close. The count shall be completed no later than the 21st day after Election Day. (TEC 127.201(a)) (TEC 127.201(b) supersedes this section to the extent of a conflict).

Post-Election Verification for Central Accumulation System: Prior to the canvass, the election official must verify that the vote total(s) printed at the precinct match the reports generated by the central accumulating system, for one percent of the election precincts or three election precincts, whichever is greater.

If there is any discrepancy in the comparison, the results tape from the precinct level shall constitute the official results. Any political subdivision that utilizes modem transfer of election results for the purpose of being combined with other such tabulations to produce complete returns shall establish procedures to reconcile received tabulations to transmitted tabulations so that no deviation can go undetected.

Personnel Security (TEC 129.051(g)): Employees authorized by the county clerk or election official to prepare or maintain the voting system or election setup materials shall be deputized by the county clerk or election official for this specific purpose and so sworn, with the following oaths, prior to the first election of the calendar year in which they will be performing one or more of these activities

The general custodian of election records shall conduct a criminal background check for relevant election officials, staff, and temporary workers who will be involved in programming, testing and preparing of voting system equipment. For further information on this process, please see Election Advisory No. 2012-02.

Below are descriptions on how to backup electronic data from the various vendor products. Warning: When using a modem to send precinct results to the central counting station, only the results are transferred and not the cast vote records.

ES&S (Premier equipment only)

After tabulating and consolidating results, the central counting station manager shall prepare a CD-R which contains cast vote records, as well as vote totals, and a copy of the consolidated returns from election management system (GEMS). Open the election database in GEMS, click on Election in the menu bar and then click Backup. Follow the steps to create a unique file name for your backup, save and then copy the file to a CD.

Enter the number of the reporting group from which you want to copy results in the Copy group box and merge it to group box, enter the number of the group with which you want to merge your copied results and click OK. Insert a blank disk in your floppy drive and click OK to copy your election results.

Additional steps to backup iVotronic data:

After you have completed the above steps, you are now ready to collect and import the cast vote records, audit log records and ballot definition files from each iVotronic to ERM by using the following steps (Reminder: PEBs used to upload results do not contain the cast vote record or other audit data needed for a complete backup):

Hart Voting System

In order to create a complete archive of the election that can be transferred to a CD-R, you must use SERVO to back up the cast vote records and internal audit logs from the JBCs, eSlates and eScans.

Backup of all the election files to a CD-R

Follow instructions in your Hart Voting System Management & Tasks Training Manual or the Election Event User Guide to back up the SERVO database and other applicable databases, depending on the Hart Voting System features used.

Certain U.S. citizens who live overseas or are in the military are eligible to register and vote in Maryland. If you are an overseas citizen, military personnel, or dependent of military personnel, you may register to vote in Maryland if your current or last U.S. residence was in Maryland. To register, you can use the Maryland's Online Voter Registration System (OLVR), or use the Federal Post Card Application available at www.fvap.gov.

Effective March 10, 2016, if you have been convicted of a felony, you are eligible to register to vote once you have completed the court-ordered sentence of imprisonment. For the purposes of eligibility to register to vote, convictions include federal, state and out-of-state convictions.

You can also register to vote during early voting or on election day. Go to an early voting center in the county where you live during early voting, or go to your assigned election day polling place and bring a document that proves where you live.

To prove where you live, bring your MVA-issued license, ID card, or change of address card, or your paycheck, bank statement, utility bill, or other government document with your name and new address.

Yes. You may register to vote online using Maryland's Online Voter Registration System (OLVR). Or you may print an application from our website or contact your local board of elections or the State Board of Elections to request an application.

If your application is complete, you are considered a registered voter. If you do not receive a Voter Notification Card three weeks after you submit an application, you should contact your local board of elections. You can also verify whether you are registered to vote by visiting our Voter Lookup website.

You can use Maryland's Online Voter Registration System (OLVR) to update your name and address or you can notify the local board of elections where you currently live if your voter registration information has changed. If you complete a change of address form at the MVA, this information will be sent to your local board of elections for processing, unless you indicate that you do not want to change your voter registration information. You can also send changes on a voter registration application or on any signed written notice.

If you plan to vote on election day, go to the polling place assigned to your new address. You can use our Polling Place Locator to find your new polling place. At your new polling place, you will vote a provisional ballot and provide your new address on the application. Your provisional ballot will count as long as you sign the application.

If you do not receive a Voter Notification Card with your updated information three weeks after you submit information, you should contact the local board of elections where you now live to ensure that your records are up-to-date. You can also verify whether the local board of elections has your new information by visiting our voter look-up website.

You can use Maryland's Online Voter Registration System (OLVR) to update yourgender or you can notify the local board of elections where you currently live if yourvoter registration information has changed. You can also send changes on a voterregistration application or on any signed written notice. The online and paper voterregistration forms offer three options for gender: Male, Female, and Unspecified orOther. You may select one of these options.

If You Have Already Changed Your Name and Gender with MVA, you do not need to doanything else. Your information will be sent by the MVA to the appropriate local boardof election. They will update the information in your voter record, unless you opt out ofsharing your information.

If You Have Changed Your Name and Gender at MVA 21 Days or Less before anElection, your updated information will not be reflected in your voter record. When yougo to the voting location to vote, you will be asked for your name, address and date ofbirth at check-in. If the name you provide does not match the voter record, you will beasked if you have made any recent changes that might not be reflected in the voterrecord. If you provide sufficient information to locate your voter record (i.e. previousname or address that is listed in the database), you will be asked to fill out a VoterUpdate Form prior to voting. The Voter Update Form includes sections for both nameand gender updates. This will update your information in our database.

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