The second phase of the Logic & Accuracy process is underway, as the Elections Office marks “test ballots” to verify that the BallotNow tabulation machines accurately count the votes marked.
Like the eSlate testing phase, predetermined combinations of votes have been designated for testing to verify that the machines tabulate accurately. As we explained previously, these tests are conducted to make sure that the end results of the tabulation match what was actually voted. The Elections staff will mark “test” ballots with predetermined votes so that every candidate and contest is voted for at least once in varying vote combinations on the test ballots during this process. We even throw in some write-in votes, under-votes, and over-votes to truly reflect what may actually happen when voters make their choices on Election Day.
L&A for the November Presidential General has been proceeding according to schedule, and is anticipated to last through Sept. 26.
Posted in Ballots, Elections Office, Results, Testing, Vote counting, Voting
Tagged Ballots, electronic voting equipment, eSlates, firmware, L&A, L&A Testing, Logic & Accuracy testing, Logic and accuracy
Logic & Accuracy testing is making great headway as our team verifies the correct operation of voting equipment both as individual units and as a combined system.
Every part of the testing process is going according to schedule thus far, and is expected to continue on through the end of next week. This week, the focus has been on the eSlate voting machines that are used for electronic voting throughout the County.
When testing the eSlates, six teams of two diligently go through each electronic ballot for every election multiple times until every candidate or measure has been voted at least once. The vote testing is conducted in a number of predetermined combinations to reflect every possible voting situation that may occur on Election Day, as we explained in our post on Sept. 16.
We also conduct the testing in three languages concurrently: English, Chinese, and Spanish. San Mateo County Elections materials are offered in these three languages, including paper and electronic ballots.
The next phase of L&A testing is the verification of correct operation for the BallotNow machines, which tabulate votes on paper ballots. This part of the testing process is scheduled to begin next week.
Posted in Ballots, Elections Office, Vote counting, Voting, eSlates
Tagged Logic and accuracy, Testing, eSlates, Ballots, firmware, electronic voting equipment, L&A, L&A Testing, Presidential General Election, November 4 Election, November Presidential Election
By writing this blog and detailing the inner workings of the San Mateo County Elections Office, we are hoping to constantly increase the level of openness and transparency of our processes. However, while transparency is a goal, accuracy is a requirement.
This is why we conduct Logic and Accuracy testing of the voting process. Beginning Sept. 16, and scheduled to last approximately two business weeks, L&A testing of the eSlate voting machines and BallotNow paper ballot tabulation machines, will be conducted to verify that everything operates properly both as individual units and as a combined system.
As we’ve explained in previous posts, L&A testing is split into two basic portions. The first portion of L&A tests the accuracy of the eSlate voting system that is used by voters at the two early voting centers (one at 40 Tower Road, San Mateo and the other at 555 County Center, 1st Floor, Redwood City) and at the polls on Election Day.
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Posted in Ballots, Campaigns/Political parties, Election Day/Night, Elections Office, Results, Testing, Vote counting, Voting, eSlates
Tagged Logic and accuracy, Testing, eSlates, Ballots, firmware, electronic voting equipment, L&A, L&A Testing, Presidential General Election, November 4 Election, November Presidential Election
Monday marked the beginning of Logic and Accuracy testing in preparation for the June 3 Statewide Direct Primary. Unlike May’s L&A testing process, which took less than a day to complete, L&A testing for June is expected to last about six to ten days.
We know that we’ve told you before what L&A testing is all about, but it’s a process that is vital to the transparency and accuracy of the whole election process. So we’re going to tell you about it again.
Designed to ensure that the hardware and software used in the election works correctly, L&A testing verifies that everything operates properly both as individual units and as a combined system.
How does this process work exactly ? L&A testing is split into two basic portions. The first portion of L&A tests the accuracy of the eSlate voting system that is used by voters at the two Universal Voting Centers (one at 40 Tower Road, San Mateo and the other at 555 County Center, 1st Floor, Redwood City) and at the polls on Election Day.
After the first portion of testing is complete, L&A then focuses on the BallotNow machines – machines that are used to tabulate paper ballots. These tests are conducted to make sure that the end results of the tabulation match what was actually voted. The Elections staff will mark “test” ballots with predetermined votes so that every candidate and contest is voted for at least once in varying vote combinations on the test ballots during this process. We even throw in some write-in votes, under-votes, and over-votes to truly reflect what may actually happen when voters make their choices on Election Day.
So what’s the big deal about L&A testing, and why is June’s testing so different from May’s process?
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Posted in Ballots, Elections Office, Testing, Vote counting, eSlates
Tagged Logic and accuracy, Testing, eSlates, Ballots, firmware, electronic voting equipment, L&A, L&A Testing
Burn, baby, burn… Around here, it’s a firmware inferno.
We’ve been hard at work the past couple of days complying with California Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s new requirement that counties reinstall – or re-burn - all the firmware on our electronic voting equipment before the Feb. 5 Presidential Primary.
After a Top to Bottom Review of electronic voting systems conducted earlier this year, the requirement is one of 36 that Bowen made in order to allow us to continue using Hart InterCivic’s eSlates while providing greater assurance that your vote is secure.
In the words of the Secretary of State:
Before any use in the February 5,2008, Presidential primary election, jurisdictions must reinstall all software and firmware (including reformatting all hard disk drives and reinstalling the operating system where applicable) on all election management system servers and workstations, voting devices and hardware components of the voting system. Voting system application software must be reinstalled using the currently approved version obtained directly from the federal testing laboratory or the Secretary of State.
Between eSlates, their printers and the Judge’s Booth Controllers – boxes which operate the eSlates and record votes cast on them - we had more than 4,700 pieces of equipment that required firmware re-installation. Add to that our BallotNow machines which scan paper ballots and our computers used to conduct the official vote tally, which also required re-installation, and that’s no quick task.
For us non-technical people, firmware is somewhat equivalent, to say, the Windows operating system or hard drive on your PC. So this is like taking the operating systems or hard drives on 4,700 computers, un-installing them, reinstalling them and then verifying that they work. Yikes.
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The second phase of the Logic & Accuracy process is underway, as the Elections Office marks “test ballots” to verify that the BallotNow tabulation machines accurately count the votes marked.
