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Appendix B:

Polling Place Hardware




Appendix B: Polling Place Hardware

The VoiceVote polling place hardware consists of two types of equipment: the VoiceVote voting machine (VVM) and the VoiceVote reporting machine (VRM). For security, simplicity and reliability the functionality of this equipment is limited to the computational and communication capabilities they require. 

The VoiceVote Voting Machine

Hardware:
  • CPU 
  • RAM
  • Bus
  • Battery backup
  • System clock
  • Sound card, microphone and headphones for the visually impaired
  • Touch screen for voter input
  • Output to printers to produce Voter Paper Ballots, Precinct Paper Ballots and other reports
  • Output port to transfer data to VoiceVote Reporting machine
  • Input-only port connected to Authorize Next Vote switch. This switch requires a key to operate or fingerprint or other biometric identification system, with supporting peripheral hardware. The precinct election judge may authorize the casting of a ballot by an approved voter, a provisional voter or an early or absentee voter on appropriate days before election day
  • Output only port connected to Current Vote Count display which displays the number of votes cast on that machine during the current voting session, the precinct ID of the ballot template in that machine and the status of the machine (standby, ready to vote, voting in progress, vote recorded).
  • Input port to read WORM containing previously marked individual absentee or provisional ballot.
  • WORM burner to create electronic record for the Central Election Authority (CEA). The recording medium is physically locked and is accessible only by the Central Election Authority. The electronic record includes session information (including machine ID and public cryptographic key) and a complete session set of signed completed ballots. The CEA WORM burner is not accessible by precinct election judges.
  • WORM burner (Absentee/Provisional Ballot Burner) with a recording medium to record ballots that are marked by voters who have not yet been approved (absentee and provisional voters) . Each WORM is removed after a single signed completed ballot has been recorded on it and packaged with the corresponding paper ballots. Accessible to precinct election judges.
  • Locked case with tamper evident seal for the system (key would not be sent to precinct)
  • Suitcase type case for the entire system which would also convert into portable voting booth with appropriate brackets for all displays, switches, speakers etc.
Firmware:
  • OS in ROM
  • VV voting program in ROM. ROM is physically locked in place and accessible only to the Central Election Authority (CEA). (Could be on same chip as OS.)
  • VV ballot template in ROM. Either on a separate chip or pre-burned into CEA WORM and PEJ WORM used to electronically record ballots
  • System boot, including routine to verify the content of system ROMs
Things the VVM doesn't have:
  • Hard drive, flash drive or other rewritable, nonvolatile memory
  • CD/DVD
  • Wireless communication capability
  • Other ports

The VoiceVote Reporting Machine

 Hardware:
  • CPU 
  • RAM
  • Bus
  • Battery backup
  • System clock
  • Touch screen for judges' input
  • Output to printers to produce reports
  • Input port to accept data from VoiceVote Voting Machine
  • Locked case with tamper evident seal for the system (key would not be sent to precinct)
  • Suitcase type case for the entire system which would also convert into portable booth with appropriate brackets for all displays, switches, speakers etc.
  • Cellular communications to Central Election Authority
  Firmware:
  • OS in ROM
  • VV reporting program in ROM. ROM is physically locked in place and accessible only to the Central Election Authority (CEA). (Could be on same chip as OS.)
Things the VRM doesn't have:
  • Hard drive, flash drive or other rewritable, nonvolatile memory
  • CD/DVD
  • WORM burners
  • Other ports
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