Home Hand Count Process Project Outline Election Video Blogspot WA Legislature Resolution Report Card About

100% Ballot Chain of Custody













Secure Ballot Example



Secure Tally Sheet Example



×

Step #00

This step addresses the issuance of the ballots to the voter after the voter authentication process.This is an important step, as it effects the entire operation and the last step that occurs in the secure ballot holding room. In general this step addresses control of the ballots in total as they are delivered from the printer. The ballots are designed for this process with serialized numbers. In addition to serialized matching numbers, a vertical bar watermark is printed over the perforations. This creates a unique exact matching capability for authentification of the stub and ballot at the end of the proces. This will make it impossible to introduce fake ballots into the process at anytime. The ballot and the stub can be matched by three distinct qualities: a number, control lines, and color, as each batch of 500 is printed on colored paper to help authentication of the stub and ballot as a final authentification process.

At no time does the serialized numbers, ballot/stub watermark, or coloring compromise the voter's anonymity. It would be impossible to associate among a batch of 500 or hundreds of batches of 500 unique ballots, any one ballot with a singular voter. This is statistically improbable and illogical to any specific political argument against 100% chain-of-custody necessity

  • All election workers must be citizens and voters registred in the state, county, or precinct of the polling place...no exceptions
  • ID badges must be created as tools for the election proces, and worn at all times by the election workers in plain site.
  • All workers must willingly submit to questioning by other poll workers if they do not have a badge, and must submit themselves to the nearest police officer
  • All poll workers must register everyday to be on premise by going through the voter authentication process...they just don't receive a ballot
  • Stub boxes will be staged prior to the voting process for the serialized ballot stubs
  • Each ballot will have a matching color band, dot, or watermark on the ballot and stub to facilitate matching at the end of the process.
  • The ballot and stub will have a perforation line enabling separation with a watermark of vertical lines spanning both the ballot and the stub
  • By design with the printer, the watermark lines for each ballot will randomly shift left or right across the perforated line, creating a unique watermark
  • The ballot issuance station will be manned by three multi-partisan people; with at least one person from a different party
  • The odd party person will sit between any two people from the same party at the work station
  • This station will have a 'supervisor' whose job is to track visually the handling of the ballots
  • The supervisor the 1st person a ballot from the ballot batch box issued from the ballot holding room
  • The ballot issuance supervisor signs for the ballot batches that arrive from the ballot holding room
  • The ballot issuance to the voter is a three step process
  • The ballot issuance station supervisor receives the ballot batch, signs the movement sheet and opens the ballot batch box
  • The ballot issuance station supervisor stamps the ballot with her unique quality ink stamp issued for this process across the perforated line equally
  • The supervisor hands the QA stamped ballot one at a time to the first worker at the station
  • The first person carefully separates the ballot from the stub, handing the ballot and the stub to the 2nd person
  • The 2nd person hands the ballot to the third person, and inserts the stub into the stub box prepared for holding the batch of 500 stubs
  • The 3rd person inspects the ballot visually and hands it to the voter waiting to receive their ballot after they have been authenticated properly
  • When a colorized batch is finished and the stub batch box is full, it is closed sealed with a gummy label, and signed by the supervisor and all 3 workers
  • The stub box movement sheet is signed and poll workers from the final control room carry the stub box to the control room where it is checked into the room
  • This process continues until the polling place is closed
×

Step #1

The collection Ballot Box collects the marked-up ballots from each voter as they exit the ballot privacy booths. The voter shall put the ballot in the collection box with their own hands. Ballots will not be folded. The collection box will be semi-transparent to maintain secrecy while allowing multi-partisan observers to witness the ballot entering the ballot box and to determine when it is full. At a minimum the following handling requirements shall be followed.(this list is not complete and needs more development 03/21/2021):

  • Empty ballot boxes will be staged prior to the voting process
  • Each ballot box will be sealed with a plastic band seal so that it cannot be opened until it reaches the ballot batch room
  • Ballot boxes shall not be moved without seals afixed at any stage where seals prevent opening, witnessed and signed on the movement sheet
  • Ballots are permently married to the serialized ballot box they are put into at the ballot batching room
  • Every ballot box will be clearly and permantely numbered, readable from 20 feet with normal vision
  • Ballot boxes shall be semi-transparent plastic of sufficient strength for the purpose with two handles on each side for carrying
  • As each empty ballot box is put in place for ballot insertion, a movement sheet shall be afixed and signed as 'empty' by 3 multi-party observers
  • The movement sheet shall be removed from the ballot collection box only in the ballot batch room, where it is signed and stored, recording each round trip of that number
  • Ballot box will be have two handles so two people maintain control while moving within the spaces
  • Two people shall move the ballot box to the Ballot Batch Room, while a third escorts them
  • Three multi-partisan escorts will sign the ballot box out of the collection position using the movement sheet and time-stamp the signature line
  • Three different multi-partisan citizens will sign the full ballot box into the ballot batch room and time-stamp the signature line
  • The movement sheet shall be permanently afixed to the ballot box
  • This process will coninue until all citizen voter ballots have been moved the ballot batching room
×

Step #2

Ballot Batch Room

The Batch Room's purpose is to batch the ballots into counting lots of 500 ballots per ballot box. Lots of 500 allow easier handling, tracking, and counting. The multi-partisan team will properly document the batching of the ballots. A paper sheet counter will speed this process, counting and batching into lots of 500. The ballots will be put into the appropriate containers, sealed to prevent tampering, movement sheets signed, and sent to Counting Room #1. 03/21/2021):

  • The voter collection box shall be signed into the batch room when it is delivered from the collection point.
  • The total number of ballots from the collection box shall be recorded on a sheet prepared for this purpose, each sheet being serialized with numbers.
  • The movement sheet permantely afixed to the box shall be signed by the delivery people, and the receiving people...six signatures per delivery.
  • This step and the paperwork for chain-of-custody has to be flushed out, equipment researched, etc.
  • Since ballot boxes shall have 500 ballots, each box before being sealed will be counted three times
×

Step #3

Ballot Box

The ballot box is a standard container of 500 ballots. This corresponds to the total squares on the standard tally sheet per candidate. A tally sheet cannot have more than 500 marks per candidate as they are coordinated to the quantity of ballots. This facilitates any audit processes that need to occur to ensure 100% COC. The ballot box cannot move from any space without the movement process being followed. The ballot box must also be sealed with plastic seals prior to being moved. Every ballot box is numbered with a unique number. The ballot boxes are never separated from their 500 ballot batch. This is controlled in the counting room, where ballots are never co-mingled. One ballot box is counted at a time, re-boxed, and moved prior to another being opened. One box at a time only.

  • A ballot box contains 500 ballots only.
  • Ballot boxes are signed out of the batching room, and sealed shut with zip ties
  • A ballot box has a permanent movement sheet for multi-partisan signatures and timestamps
  • A ballot box cannot be moved without multi-partisan (3 people) control, and movement signatures with a timestamp
  • This step and the paperwork for chain-of-custody has to be flushed out, equipment researched, etc.
  • Additional steps here as needed...added/deleted
×

Step #4

Counting Room #1

There are two counting rooms in this process. It is modeled after warehouse methods for performing inventory counts by teams. All ballots from ballot boxes of 500 are counted twice, one batch at a time. The tally sheets are designed to match the 500 ballots per box. This process has not been tested as of 03/20/2021. The tally sheets have a preliminary design, but may be subject to change upon process testing. However, the basic concept of two counting rooms will not change. Ballots box batch counting may be facilitated by a paper counting machine. It does not total anything on the ballot, it simply rapidly counts ballots to ensure that 500 ballots are in a batch at each movement from one place to another. Whether ballot counting machines will be part of this process is TBD. It is possible that cost will prohibit them, or the desire to keep machines out of the process altogether, will make this determination. A team of 10 people can count 500 ballots rapidly when trained.

  • A ballot box contains 500 ballots only.
  • The ballot box is prepared for counting by the team by ensuring all signatures are in place and zip-ties are removed
  • The ballots are first counted together by the team, if the count not 500, the box is sealed and properly recycled back to the batch room.
  • A ballot box has a permanent movement sheet for multi-partisan signatures and timestamps
  • A ballot box cannot be moved without multi-partisan (3 people) control, and movement signatures with a timestamp
  • This step and the paperwork for chain-of-custody has to be flushed out, equipment researched, etc.
  • As of this writing, the tally sheet process has not been fully developed. It will be reflected here when finished. 03/20/2021 JMM
  • Additional steps here as needed...added/deleted
×

Step #5

Ballot Box + Tally Sheet

Step #5 requires that a tally sheet that contains the tick marks for every vote for each candidate or issue, and the summation of all 500 ballots. The tally sheet shall be the summation of 500 ballots. Some candidates and/or issuues do not receive votes. The tally sheet will reflect the differnce between the total potential votes cast of the 500 lot and the actual votes cast. If there are 10 candidates X 500 potential votes, then 5,000 vote potential minus the votes not cast shall be reflected on the tally sheet for that lot. Tally sheets are numbered according to the 'ballot box' number.

  • A ballot box contains 500 ballots only.
  • The ballot box is prepared for counting by the team by ensuring all signatures are in place and zip-ties are removed
  • The ballot box movement sheet and tally sheet are secured to the top of the ballot box.
  • The ballot box is zip-tied closed and the movement sheet is signed
  • The citizen mulit-partisan team moves the sealed ballot box to Counting Romm #2
  • All signatures and timestamps are noted, the movement sheet signed by the delivery team
  • The Counting Room #2 team receives the ballot box, and signs it in under observation of the delivery team.
×

Step #6

Counting Room #2

Step #6 has all of the procedures of step #4. The job of this step is to ensure that the ballot tallys are the same as from Counting Room #1. The same procedures are followed accept that after the count is made, the tally sheets are compared for differences. This is for each ballot box of 500 ballots. Differences are noted in the appropriate places on each of the two tally sheets (counting room #1 and counting room #2). The tally sheet for counting room #2 is put with the ballot box, and it is recycled back through the process. Both tally sheets of the new cycle have to once again be created and put with the original tally sheets for this ballot box. It is counted again and sent to counting room #2 to be counted. If the new counts match, then it is forwarded to the final steps of storage. If not, it is recycled until it is fully reconciled. In this room a 'MASTER TALLY' Board is maintained. This board is monitored by an IP MJPEG camera that broadcasts to a public website. This master sheet as well as the two sub-tally sheets are printed in very large formats on paper and tacked to foam boards mounted on the wall. This board is the 'final' official tally of the election. The Holding Room sum is also compared to this board from the tally sheets in the holding room. These two audits must agree. The election cannot be certified until all ballots are accounted for and the holding room tally total agrees with the Master Tallly Board in counting room #2.

  • A ballot box contains 500 ballots only.
  • The ballot box is prepared for counting by the team by ensuring all signatures are in place and zip-ties are removed
  • The ballot box movement sheet and tally sheet are secured to the top of the ballot box.
  • The ballot box is zip-tied closed and the movement sheet is signed
  • The citizen mulit-partisan team moves the sealed ballot box to Counting Romm #2
  • All signatures and timestamps are noted, the movement sheet signed by the delivery team
  • The Counting Room #2 team receives the ballot box, and signs it in under observation of the delivery team.
  • If the tally sheet totals do not agree, the ballot box with ballots are recycled back to counting room #1.
  • Counting room #1 counts the ballots and sends the ballot box to counting room #1 again.
  • Repeat this process until the count is reconciled 100%
×

Step #7

Ballot Box + Tally Sheet #1 & #2

Step #7 is the proper routing of the ballot box with tally sheet from counting room #1 and #2. If the tally counts are equal, then the ballot box is routed to step #8 to be stored in the 'holding room' until the election is over. As in all ballot movements, sigantures and timestamps of multi-partisan citizens shall be made for each step of the process, no matter the location. A ballot box cannot move from a location without mulit-partisan control of 3 citizens, signatures, and timestamps of those signatures. If the tally sheets do not agree 100%, the ballot box and the 500 ballots are sent back to counting room #1, to be counted and sent through the normal process to counting room #2. This is repeated until the tally count sheets are in agreement.

  • A ballot box contains 500 ballots only.
  • All signatures and timestamps must be in place before the box can move
  • If the ballot tally sheets do not agree the ballot box is routed to step #11
  • If the ballot tally sheets agree the ballot box of 500 ballots proceed to step #8
×

Step #8

Tally Count Balance = Yes

Step #8 means that the ballots and tally sheets match from Counting Room #1 and #2. The disposition of the tally sheet process has not yet been designed. It will be posted when this is available as of 03/20/2021 JMM. However, as of this writing, the finished product of Step #8 is to ensure that the tally sheets and ballots are all together, movement sheets signed, and prepared to travel to the Secure Ballot Box Holding Room, to be matched with ballot stubs, and stored for the duration of the election.

  • A ballot box contains 500 ballots only.
  • All signatures and timestamps must be in place before the box can move
  • If the ballot tally sheets do not agree the ballot box is routed to step #11
  • If the ballot tally sheets agree the ballot box of 500 ballots is sent with its total tally sheets to the holding room
×

Step #9

Ballot Box and All Tally Sheets Checked

Step #9 is a quality control check to ensure that everything is proper prior to moving the ballot box to the secure holding room.

  • Check tally sheets
  • Check ballot batch count = 500
  • Movement sheets are signed by mulit-partisan people
  • Counting Room Supervisor signs out or QA stamps the movement sheet
  • Ballot box is moved to the secure holding room
×

Step #10

Secure Ballot Box Holding Room

Step #10's purpose is to provide a secure holding room for the process results of the election process. This room is under 24/7 security through IP camera video streaming to a public website, by multi-partisan people in the room performing the room's required processes, and by an official police officer assigned to this duty. Nothing enters or leaves this room without signing in or out on a log kept for this purpose. The election process objects are ballot stubs, ballots, and tally sheets, plus any equipment needed to process the ballots, stubs, and tally sheets. Nothing can enter or leave the room once the election starts without auditor approval and be under multi-partisan control of at least three people, and is under IP camera observation. The police officer has the right to inspect all things that come and go from this room, it his duty.

  • All persons have to sign in and out of the room, including delivery of ballot and stub boxes
  • Police officer must be in the room at all times
  • Deliveries of ballot and ballot stub boxes have to have movement sheets signed by receiving mulit-partisan people
  • Delivery multi-partisan people have to sign that the ballots boxes and ballot stub boxes were delivered, including current timestamp
  • This room is also similar to the counting rooms, in that it is in here that the ballots and ballot stubs are reunited.
  • Ballots and ballots stubs are compared for matching using paper color, serial numbers, and matching lines of the watermark.
  • Every ballot must have a stub which is stapled to the ballot bottom right corner when matched
  • Unmatched ballots or stubs or gathered in a bin form disposition by the canvassing committee of citizens who decide what actions to take
  • Ballots with stubs that match are batched into the appropriate ballot box with their tally sheets
  • All tally sheets have served their purpose at this point, and are ready to be stored
×

Step #11

Tally Count Balance = No (loop until balanced)

Step #11 receives its input from step #7. This step occurs when Counting Room #1 and Counting Room #2 tally sheets do not match for any candidate. They have to be recycled along with all tally sheets back to Counting Room #1. This includes movement sheets to keep track of ballot box movement. Care must be taken to follow sign-in and sign-out policies. At this point, many people will try to by-pass the movement policies. This cannot be allowed to happen by the supervisors.

  • A ballot box contains 500 ballots only.
  • Tally sheets are kept with the ballots at all times during movements
  • Ballot Boxes are looped until the counts are balanced and routed to the Secure holding room
×

Step #12

Return Unbalanced ballot boxes to Counting Room #1

Step #12 ensures that all tally sheets and ballot counts are in the box, that they are signed out and in by movement sheets

  • A ballot box contains 500 ballots only.
  • Tally sheets are kept with the ballots at all times during movements
  • Ballot Boxes are looped until the counts are balanced and routed to the Secure holding room
×

Step #13

Return Unbalanced ballot boxes to Counting Room #1

Step #13 is where the canvassing board meets to address ballots that are mismarked or disfigured in any manner that causes confusion with the counters in Counting Rooms #1 or #2. This can include damaged ballots where a vote mark is not clear. The ballots in this step are sent back to be counted and reunited with their ballot batch box.

  • This process will cause batch boxes to be short of 500.
  • This will be noted on the tally sheet.
  • Good ballots reconciled by the canvassing board are routed to Counting Room #1
  • These loose ballots will eventually be re-united with their ballot batch boxes in the Holding room
×

Step #14

Send damaged ballots to Step #15

Step #14 is where the canvassing board has determined that a ballot is inelligable for any reason.

  • A single damaged ballot is sent to the Holding room.
  • This will be noted on the tally sheet.
  • These loose ballots will eventually be re-united with their ballot batch boxes in the Holding room
  • Ballot stubs are located and attached to the damaged ballot
  • A log of bad ballot serial numbers is made in a damaged ballot log
  • Ballot Box tally sheets are noted of missing ballots rerouted or damaged
  • All ballots are re-united with their ballot stubs under all circumstances
×

Step #15

Send damaged ballots to Step #15

Step #15 is the end of the line for the ballots and stubs. It has the highest security. It is preferred that a county police officer be present at all times during the election process in the room. Their authority is to watch and report any suspicious activity to the supervisor of this room and the county auditor. This room must ensure that all procedures of ballot box and ballot stub box are followed, including all movement sheet signatures. All ballots end up in this room. As soon as a ballot box is signed in, the process of re-uniting them with their ballot stubs can occur. Ballots and stubs are counted and any shortages are noted. Missing ballots may be re-routed to the canvassing room for damage disposition. This is noted on the tally sheet for each box. Late processed ballots will be noted because of ballot stubs that have not been reunited. This room is under total multi-party of no less than three person and a police officer 24/7 during the eleciton duration.

  • Security is the highest for this room
  • The room is perpetually under multi-party control of three persons and a police officer
  • All people must sign-in and sign-out of this room, this is controlled by the police officer
  • Ballot stubs are located and attached to all ballots
  • A log of bad ballot serial numbers is made in a damaged ballot log
  • Ballot Box tally sheets are noted of missing ballots rerouted or damaged
  • All ballots are re-united with their ballot stubs under all circumstances
  • A master tally sheet count of all ballots is made. Shortages of either ballots or ballot stubs is noted, as well as damaged ballots
  • A master tally summation is made from the accumulated tally sheets and sent to the canvass board