Systems and methods for election process management

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for managing an election process wherein the system comprises a processing unit configured to at least: allow an at least one voter to register for an election event; deploy an at least one election officer; manage an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event; implement at least one security protocol for the election event; collate result data from an at least one voting machine; process the collated result data; and present the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means; and at least one user interface, connected to the processing unit, for allowing access and configuration to the said processing unit; and at least one communications unit, connected to the processing unit, configured to at least send the processed result data to an at least one third-party device and / or an at least one remote server.

Description

[0001] SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTION PROCESS MANAGEMENT

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to systems and methods for managing an election process.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The use of electronic technologies initially aimed to reduce issues in the election process such as inefficiencies, fraud, and tampering of results. However, such problems remain due to the complexity of the underlying conditions in the whole election system. The National Democratic Institute, for example, cited protests in the Philippines relating to the erroneous counting of votes due to the misreading of ballots, transmission errors, inaccurate results aggregation, incorrect rejection of ballots in voting machines, non-deployment of digital security measures, and data manipulation, among others. This then calls for an improved management system of the election that utilizes means of solving the said difficulties. This may start in the training of election officers equipping them with the appropriate skills, knowledge, and technical know-how on the state-of-the-art technologies relating to the election process which may cover cybersecurity, blockchain technology, internet of things, and even artificial intelligence. Moreover, the advancements in technology have opened new avenues for enhancing the security, efficiency, and transparency of voting systems. For example, biometric authentication methods such as fingerprint and facial recognition are now being used to access digital devices which can also be applied to the voting systems which further enhances the security of voter verification. These technologies make sure that each voter is verified before casting their votes. The transportation of the election materials can also be a critical touchpoint which may impede the success of the elections.

[0006] US11049349B2 (US '349) presents a computerized voting system and the methods for certifying eligible voters, voter participation, ensuring accurate vote reception, tallying, verification, and error reporting. With these, US '349 improves the accuracy, time, and money savings of managing the voter lists. Moreover, this patent maintains the security, privacy, and anonymity of the voter ballots cast and enables the voters to anonymously verify and correct the accuracy of the official records. However, US '349 fails to mention the variety of components such as an analytics component for processing the collated election data from a result aggregation component, and a transparency portal for presenting the collated and processed election data. These components and / or functionalities aid in improving the efficiency and accuracy of the end-to-end election management system.

[0007] To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention discloses a system and method for managing an election event including the election activities and subprocesses by using a processing unit configured to perform at least one functionality. This leads to a more efficient and secured election event by means of registration, training and certification, configuration, security, result aggregation, and analytics, for example.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention relates to systems and methods for managing an election process, wherein the system comprises a processing unit configured to at least: allow an at least one voter to register for the election event; deploy an at least one election officer; manage an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event; implement at least one security protocol for the election event; collate result data from an at least one voting machine; process the collated result data; and present the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means; and at least one user interface, connected to the processing unit, for allowing access and configuration to the said processing unit; and at least one communications unit, connected to the processing unit, configured to at least send the processed result data to an at least one third-party device and / or an at least one remote server.

[0010] In the second aspect of this invention, the system comprises a ballot designer component for designing at least one ballot for the election event. This ensures the authenticity and enhances the security of the election event by producing specialized ballots.

[0011] In the third aspect of this invention, the system is connected to the at least one voting machine for processing at least one ballot for the election event. The voting machine provides an interface between the system and the voter. During the election event, the voter inserts the ballot to the voting machine for at least verifying and collating the election data. In the fourth aspect of this invention, the system further comprises a transparency portal for presenting the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means. This allows the visualization of the election data and presents the said data via an online platform or digital display means.

[0012] The method according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: allowing an at least one voter to register for the election event via the registration component; deploying an at least one election officer via the training and certification component; implementing at least one security protocol for the election event via the security component; managing an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event via the election management and configuration component; collating result data from an at least one voting machine via the result aggregation component; processing the collated result data from the result aggregation component via the analytics component; and presenting the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means via the transparency portal.

[0013] In another aspect of the invention, the method further comprises the step of allowing access and configuration of the processing unit via an at least one user interface.

[0014] In yet another aspect of the invention, the method further comprises the step of communicating the collated and processed result data to at least one third-party device and / or at least one cloud or remote server.

[0015] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are included to understand the present invention further, are incorporated herein to illustrate the embodiments of the present invention. Along with the description, they also explain the principle of the present invention and are not intended to be limiting. In the drawings:

[0017] FIG. 1 presents a diagram of system components in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 2 presents a diagram of system components in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 3 presents a diagram of system components in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 4 shows the flow chart of the method for managing an election event; and

[0021] FIG. 5 shows the flow chart of the method for managing an election event according to another preferred embodiment.

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The present invention relates to systems and methods for managing an election event.

[0024] FIG. 1 presents the block diagram of the system for managing an election event, wherein the system 100 communicates with at least one internal or external device such as at least one training kiosk 101, at least one voting machine 102, at least one cloud or remote server 103. This enables the system 100 to exchange data between the said devices preferably the exchange of election data or communication data associated to the election event. The said system 100 may also exchange data between other similar systems 108 for managing the election event or a third-party device 109.

[0025] The system 100 preferably comprises at least one processing unit 104, at least one user interface 105, at least one data storage device 106, and at least one communications unit 107. It is conceivable that the at least one processing unit 104, at least one user interface 105, at least one data storage device 106, and at least one communications unit 107 are interconnected such that a data exchange exists between them. The at least one processing unit 104 processes the data received by the system 100 which can be through the at least one user interface 105 as inputted by one or more users or received via the at least one communications unit 107. The processed data can be training data or profile associated to at least one election officer relating to the training and / or certification of the said election officer via the processing unit 104 or a dedicated component of the processing unit 104. The processed data can also be data exchanged with at least one training kiosk 101 as preprocessed by at least one kiosk processing unit and communicated via the training kiosk's 101 kiosk communications unit. In another preferred embodiment, the processed data relate to the election data communicated by at least one voting machine 102.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the system 100 comprises at least one processing unit 104 which is preferably at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for a dedicated implementation of one or more tasks, processes, one or more set of instructions. The use of ASICs substantially increases the performance and energy efficiency of the processing unit 104 while reducing the costs associated with the implementation of the system's 100 functionalities. This is especially beneficial for election processes when a large amount of data is received, analyzed and processed. In some embodiments, the at least one processing unit 104 can be any microcontroller, microprocessor, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or any hardware device capable of processing data, issuing instructions, or executing calculations associated to the election event.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the system 100 comprises at least one processing unit 104 which can be any microcontroller, microprocessor, or any hardware device capable of processing data, issuing instructions, or executing calculations associated to the election event. The processing unit 104 is configured to perform at least one functionality such as: allow an at least one voter to register for the election event; deploy an at least one election officer; manage an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event; implement at least one security protocol for the election event; collate result data from an at least one voting machine 102; process the collated result data; and present the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means.

[0028] The at least one processing unit 104 preferably performs advanced processing means such as intelligent systems, predictive algorithm, artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithm, machine learning, deep learning, or combinations thereof. This enables the system

[0029] 100 to perform its operations with more time efficiency and accuracy.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the system 100 comprises at least one user interface 105 which is provided to at least one election officer or an authorized user. This can then display the data associated to the election event or means for controlling the system 100 such as accessing the system configuration, security settings, any means for managing the said system 100, or an overview of the management of the election event. Preferably, the user interface 105 is one or more input devices, input / output devices or display / input devices which may include simple analog buttons, a system of switches, digital displays, liquid crystal displays (LCD), light emitting diode (LED) displays, multi-point touch input screens, or combinations thereof. It is conceivable that the user interface 105 provides an at least one means for user interaction with the system 100.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the system 100 comprises at least one data storage device 106 for storing election data, associated to the election event, after being processed by the processing unit 104. The at least one data storage device 106 stores the processed result data by the processing unit 104. Preferably, the said election data are stored before sending the said data to other devices. This aims to lessen the risk of data loss by providing a backup storage within the system 100 which can also be used in data aggregation. It is preferred that the at least one data storage device 106 is a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions or memory devices that can be any medium or mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine or computer. The at least one data storage device 106 or the memory device can have a primary memory device and / or a secondary memory device as a backup storage device. The at least one data storage device 106 can be a read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, hard disk storage, optical storage media, flash memory devices, universal serial bus (USB) drive, secure digital (SD) card, memory chip, or a combination thereof.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the system 100 comprises at least one communications unit 107 to enable the exchange of data between the system 100 and at least one internal or external device such as, but is not limited to, at least one training kiosk 101, at least one voting machine 102, at least one cloud or remote server 103, one or more similar systems for managing the election event 108, and / or one or more third-party devices 109. The exchange of information can be the transfer of sensitive election data such as the polling results, the user or voter's data including personal data, and / or election event data, for example. The at least one communications unit 107 can be any transmitter, receiver, or transceiver used for long range (LoRa) modulation, radio frequency (RF), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, infrared, near field communication (NFC), visible light communication, microwave communication, satellite communication, Li-Fi, WiMax, ZigBee, cellular communication, code division multiple access (CDMA), 2G, global system for mobiles (GSM), 3G, 4G, long term evolution (LTE), long term evolution advanced (LTE-advanced), 5G, 5.5G, 6G, 6.5G, 7G, any other wireless communications protocol, or a combination thereof. The use of the said communications protocols establishes versatility and future proofing of the system 100 by allowing the selection of the most suitable communications unit for a certain physical environment or the location of the voting precinct. For example, if the voting precinct is located in a remote rural area, then the communications unit 107 can be configured to use long range (LoRa) modulation, radio frequency (RF), microwave communication, satellite communication, or combinations thereof. This further enables the assurance of data transmission while also incorporating means for data security.

[0033] In another preferred embodiment, the system 100 communicates with at least one training kiosk 101 via the at least one communications unit 107 via wired or wireless means. The at least one training kiosk 101 is configured to provide one or more modules for recruitment, training, and deployment of at least one election officer. The training kiosk 101 operates with the processing unit 104 to provide comprehensive training, simulations, and assessments in a digital environment.

[0034] In yet another preferred embodiment, the system 100 communicates with at least one voting machine 102 via the at least one communications unit 107. The at least one voting machine 102 is preferably a device for computing, collating, verifying authenticity, or performing an at least one process on the machine-readable data in the election ballots via the scanning of the said ballots, counting the votes for a particular candidate, and collating election data, for example. The said machine-readable data are preferably election data associated to the election event. The voting machine 102 can also be an advanced counting machine that ensures the security, accuracy, and transparency of the election event of the election process. Preferably, the at least one voting machine 102 is reconfigurable and offers easy customization by an authorized election officer to accommodate a wide range of election types and election related activities. This ensures interoperability with the system 100 as well as the other devices used for the election event. It is preferred that the voting machine 102 comprises parts allowing modularity and ensuring the ease to upgrade the voting machine's 102 parts accommodating new technologies. The said features ensure that the voting machine 102 remains up to date with the latest advancements, providing long-term sustainability and reliability in election management. For example, the voting machine 102 utilizes user authentication and digital signing using hardware cryptography preferably through public key infrastructure (PKI) wherein the PKI is a system of processes, technologies, and policies that allows the encryption and signing of data. Moreover, the use of PKI allows the voting machine 102 to issue digital certificates that authenticate the identity of the voters, ballots, services relating to the election event, other voting machines and / or the voting machine 102 itself. The said digital certificates creates a secure connection between the system 100 and / or voting machine 102 with the cloud / remote server 103. In another possible embodiment, the voting machine 102 comprises one or more means for authentication such as biometric authentication to check if the voter is registered to cast votes on a specific voting machine 102. In another preferred embodiment, the voting machine 102 utilizes multilingual support which aims to provide translation of machine instructions to different languages or dialects, as well as handicapped persons or persons with disability (PWD)-friendly instructions depending on the voting machine's 102 location or user preferences such as the use of audible instructions or the Braille system. This feature ensures that the voting machine 102 is operable by the election officer and / or the voter regardless of any disability while also dismissing language barriers. In yet another preferred embodiment, the voting machine 102 comprises one or more tracking device to monitor or determine the voting machine's geographical location and one or more internal or external condition using at least one sensor, wherein the internal or external condition relates to, but is not limited to, ambient temperature, internal temperature, humidity, vibration, orientation, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the voting machine 102 can be located remotely to facilitate absentee voting, for example. In this case, the voting machine 102 determines and logs its geographical location and transmits the data to the system 100 or a central server for security and monitoring. This feature is to facilitate the election to voters living abroad or those who are unable to attend the official voting location in the determined time. According to an embodiment of the invention, the election data comprises one or more information relating to the election process such as, but not limited to, at least one election title, at least one precinct name associated to at least one geographical location where the election process is conducted, one or more election candidate information or the candidates' names for a particular position, or at least one political party name, for example. It is conceivable that the said election data are machine-readable data or intelligible codes that are configured to be accessed and / or processed by at least one system 100, at least one training kiosk 101, at least one voting machine 102, at least one cloud or remote server 103, and / or at least one third-party device 109 in a secured manner via at least one wired or wireless means.

[0035] In still another preferred embodiment, the system 100 communicates with at least one cloud or remote server 103 via the at least one communications unit 107. The at least one cloud or remote server 103 is a remotely available complex processing unit that can utilize one or more servers, databases, computers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or any hardware device capable of processing data, issuing instructions, or executing calculations. It is conceivable that the cloud or remote server 103 can perform parallel computing if complex data, analysis, or decision is required. The cloud or remote server 103 can be accessed via any communications protocol such as but is not limited to long range (LoRa) modulation, radio frequency (RF), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), fiber optics, wired communications media, Bluetooth, infrared, near field communication (NFC), visible light communication, microwave communication, satellite communication, Li-Fi, WiMax, ZigBee, cellular communication, code division multiple access (CDMA), 2G, global system for mobiles (GSM), 3G, 4G, long term evolution (LTE), long term evolution advanced (LTE-advanced), 5G, 5.5G, 6G, 6.5G, 7G, or a combination of thereof.

[0036] In another preferred embodiment, the system 100 communicates with one or more other systems 108 for managing another election process, any election subprocess, or any election related process via the at least one communications unit 107. The one or more other systems 108 can be connected in a same local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular network, a metropolitan area network (MAN), or a wide area network (WAN). It is conceivable that the one or more systems 108 are located in a different geographic location such as one or more precincts and / or one or more voting areas to perform the tasks associated to the election process.

[0037] In another preferred embodiment, the system 100 communicates with one or more third- party devices 109 via the at least one communications unit 107. The one or more third-party devices 109 can be an authorized network device capable of receiving election data such as the election results which can be a smartphone or computer connected either to an internal or external network.

[0038] FIG. 2 presents a diagram of system components in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The processing unit 104 of the system 100 is expanded to include at least one component that is dedicated to process at least one functionality. This may further enable faster processing times, increased accuracy, and / or better system management exhibited by device isolation in case an error in the system occurs. The said advantages are achieved by having a dedicated component that is focused on a certain task wherein its processing power or computational capability is fully optimized. Preferably, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one component such as, but is not limited to, at least one registration component 203, at least one training and certification component 204, at least one election management and configuration component 205, at least one ballot designer component 206, at least one security component 207, at least one result aggregation component 208, at least one online voting component 209, at least one transparency portal component 210, and / or at least one analytics component 211.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises one or more components, wherein the components are interconnected, such as but is not limited to:

[0040] • a registration component 203 for allowing an at least one voter to register for the election event;

[0041] • a training and certification component 204 for managing the deployment of an at least one election officer;

[0042] • an election management and configuration component 205 for managing an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event; • a security component 207 for implementing at least one security protocol for the election event;

[0043] • a result aggregation component 208 for collating result data from an at least one voting machine 102;

[0044] • an at least one online voting component 209 for allowing voters to vote online via an online voting platform; and

[0045] • an analytics component 211 for processing the collated result data from the result aggregation component.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one registration component 203. The at least one registration component 203 is preferably configured to allow an at least one voter to register for the election event. The registration component 203 preferably manages the registration of eligible voters while ensuring the accuracy and the integrity of voter rolls, eligible voters list, voter registration data, and / or voter database. Preferably, the registration component 203 comprises at least one means to verify the identity of at least one voter as well as to ensure that the voters meet the eligibility criteria, and / or at least one voting requirement.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one training and certification component 204. The at least one training and certification component 204 is preferably configured to manage the deployment of an at least one election officer.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one election management and configuration component 205. The at least one election management and configuration component 205 is preferably configured to manage an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one ballot designer component 206. The at least one ballot designer component 206 is preferably a digital platform, app, or software that is used for designing a ballot for the election process.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one security component 207. The at least one security component 207 is preferably configured to ensure the security of the election event. It is preferred that the at least one security component 207 is configured to safeguard digital assets and ensure the integrity and authenticity of the election related transactions such as the processing and transmission of the election data.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one result aggregation component 208. The at least one result aggregation component 208 is preferably configured to collate result data from an at least one voting machine 102.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one online voting component 209. The at least one online voting component 209 is, preferably, a digital platform configured to perform means for implementing security measures or maintaining the accuracy and transparency of the election event or election process. The online voting component 209 comprises a modular architecture that allows for easy customization and adaption to accommodate different election events or election scenarios.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one transparency portal component 210. The at least one transparency portal component 210 is preferably configured to allow at least one voter or any person to have access to the result data and / or election data or the election results via at least one electronic means such as, but is not limited to, an online application or website accessible by a smartphone, a computer, a third-party device, or combinations thereof. It is conceivable that the transparency portal component 210 provides a trusted and reliable source of information about the status of the election results.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit 104 comprises at least one analytics component 211. The at least one analytics component 211 is preferably configured to process the collated result data from the result aggregation component 208. In some embodiments, the at least one analytics component 211 preferably performs advanced processing means such as intelligent systems, predictive algorithm, artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithm, machine learning, deep learning, or combinations thereof. The analytics component 211 provides an analysis tool for post-election statistics and helps the election officer to easily analyze election data or result data, log files, search, and filter any data to help optimize the system's 100 performance, identify security threats, and streamline the troubleshooting of the election event or process, election activities, or election subprocesses. In another preferred embodiment, the system 100 communicates with at least one training kiosk 101 via wired or wireless means provided by the at least one communications unit 107. The at least one training kiosk 101 comprises at least one kiosk interface 200, at least one kiosk communications unit 201, and at least one kiosk processing unit 202.

[0055] The at least one training kiosk 101 comprises at least one kiosk interface 200, wherein the at least one kiosk interface 200 can be one or more input devices, input / output devices or display / input devices which may include simple analog buttons, a system of switches, digital displays, liquid crystal displays (LCD), light emitting diode (LED) displays, multi-point touch input screens, or combinations thereof.

[0056] The at least one training kiosk 101 comprises at least one kiosk communications unit 201, wherein the at least one kiosk communications unit 201 enables the transfer of data via wired or wireless means from the training kiosk 101 to the system 100, to another system used for election 108, or to a third-party device 109. The at least one kiosk communications unit 201 can be any transmitter, receiver, or transceiver used for long range (LoRa) modulation, radio frequency (RF), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, infrared, near field communication (NFC), visible light communication, microwave communication, satellite communication, Li-Fi, WiMax, ZigBee, cellular communication, code division multiple access (CDMA), 2G, global system for mobiles (GSM), 3G, 4G, long term evolution (LTE), long term evolution advanced (LTE-advanced), 5G, 5.5G, 6G, 6.5G, 7G, any other wireless communications protocol, or a combination thereof.

[0057] The at least one training kiosk 101 comprises at least one kiosk processing unit 202, wherein the at least one kiosk processing unit 202 is a dedicated processing unit that is integrated or embedded in the training kiosk 101. This enables the isolation of the processing function from the system 100. Moreover, the at least one training kiosk 101 can be a device that is remotely located physically or geographically and is connected in a different network from the system 100. The connection between the training kiosk 101 and the system 100 is then enabled by the at least one kiosk communications unit 201. Preferably, the at least one kiosk processing unit 202 can be any microcontroller, microprocessor, or any hardware device capable of processing data, issuing instructions, or executing calculations associated to the election process preferably related to the management of the training and deployment of one or more election officer for the election process. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one kiosk processing unit 202 preferably performs advanced processing means such as intelligent systems, predictive algorithm, artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithm, machine learning, deep learning, or combinations thereof. This enables the training kiosk 101 to perform its operations with more time efficiency and accuracy.

[0058] The at least one training kiosk 101 further comprises at least one kiosk data storage device for storing any data associated to the election or training process. It is preferred that the at least one kiosk data storage device is a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions or memory devices that can be any medium or mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine or computer. The at least one kiosk data storage device or the memory device can have a primary memory device and / or a secondary memory device as a backup storage device. The at least one kiosk data storage device can be a read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, hard disk storage, optical storage media, flash memory devices, universal serial bus (USB) drive, secure digital (SD) card, memory chip, or a combination thereof.

[0059] FIG. 3 presents a diagram of system components in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The processing unit 104 of the system 100 comprises an election management and configuration component 205 for managing an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event. The election management and configuration component 205 can be a dedicated processing unit to perform the election activity and / or election subprocess more efficiently and accurately. Preferably, the said component 205 provides a digital platform configured to allow at least one election officer or event manager to manage all aspects of the election process including election subprocesses such as pre-election preparation, configuring the ballots, voting machines, the system 100, as well as the tracking of the election materials. To achieve this, the election management component 205 comprises a dashboard 300, configuration component 301, logistics tracking component 302, access control component 303, inventory component 304, compliance component 305, supplementary security component 306, and the monitoring component 307.

[0060] The processing unit 104 of the system 100 comprises an election management and configuration component 205 having a dashboard 300 or more preferably a centralized management dashboard. The dashboard 300 provides an overview, or preferably a real-time overview, of the election process including the election officers and / or warehouse personnel, one or more pre-election activities, as well as one or more configuration tasks and election material tracking. By using the dashboard, the election officer or the chief officer can monitor the progress of the election process, address issues, and access election data and election reports.

[0061] The processing unit 104 of the system 100 comprises an election management and configuration component 205 having a configuration component 301 which is utilized to facilitate the configuration of ballots, at least one voting machine, the system 100, or other related system. The election officer or a warehouse personnel may input necessary settings and parameters to the system 100 via the said configuration component 301. The said settings may relate to at least one election subprocess or at least one election activity such as, but is not limited to, the entering of ballot data or information, verifying one or more candidate lists, defining voting options, setting up parameters for aggregating and tabulating the election results, and / or combinations thereof. By having a dedicated configuration component 301, the election management and configuration component 205 may perform tasks more efficiently or distribute the system's 100 workload for an optimized process.

[0062] The processing unit 104 of the system 100 comprises an election management and configuration component 205 having one or more logistics tracking component 302. The said component 302 can also be referred to as a transport and warehouse tracking component pertaining to the tasks associated to this component 302 such as tracking the transport of one or more election materials such as the ballots and / or one or more voting machines. The task of this component 302 also include the tracking and monitoring of the election materials within a warehouse or during the transport of the election materials to a voting precinct or predetermined destination. For example, an election officer or a warehouse personnel can track the shipments, preferably in real time, to ensure timely delivery of the election materials to a certain precinct or voting area and to optimize the storage space of the said warehouse efficiently.

[0063] The processing unit 104 of the system 100 comprises an election management and configuration component 205 having an access control component 303 configured to implement access control and provide permissions for regulating user access. The said component 303 checks or validates the accessing of at least one user, election officer, election manager, chief officer, or a warehouse personnel to the system 100. Preferably, the access control component 303 comprises at least one whitelist and / or at least one blacklist having the list of users who has access to the system 100 and who does not have access to the system. It is conceivable that the authorized users such as the election officers, election managers, supervisors, or the chief officer have the necessary permissions to perform configuration tasks and track election material movement. On the other hand, the unauthorized users are restricted and are not allowed to access the system 100. Preferably, the access control component 303 stores or logs the activity data of either the authorized or unauthorized users.

[0064] The processing unit 104 of the system 100 comprises an election management and configuration component 205 having an inventory component 304. The inventory component 304 comprises one or more tools for inventory reconciliation and auditing thus, this component 304 can also be referred to as an inventory reconciliation and auditing component. This then ensures the accuracy and the integrity of the election materials. For example, the election officer or a warehouse personnel can reconcile physical inventory counts with the system records, conduct audits, and discrepancies to maintain accurate inventory records via the said inventory component 304. The inventory component 304 may perform validation or error checks on the said tasks preferably by using at least one advanced processing means such as intelligent systems, predictive algorithm, artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithm, machine learning, deep learning, or combinations thereof. For example, the inventory component 304 processes the inventory records and checks for data redundancies, inaccuracies, discrepancies, possible errors, or mismatches, and presents a report or analysis to the election officer, warehouse personnel, or any authorized user with access to the election event.

[0065] The processing unit 104 of the system 100 comprises an election management and configuration component 205 having a compliance component 305 that monitors and documents the regulatory compliance of the system 100 and the entire election process. Preferably, the compliance component 305 processes data from the other components of the election management and configuration component 205 and generates comprehensive reports and audit trails. The component 205 may comprise a database of regulations in which the election process must adhere, wherein the database comprises a checklist of the standard rules and guidelines. The election officer may then, for example, refer to this component 305 and review if the election process is within the acceptable criteria. The election officer may also perform one or more queries to the component 305 and seek recommendations on improving the compliance of the system 100 and the entire election process to a set of standards.

[0066] The processing unit 104 of the system 100 comprises an election management and configuration component 205 having a supplementary security component 306. The supplementary security component 306 is a unit, device, or a processing unit that is configured to perform or implement at least one security protocol for the election event. The supplementary security component 306 can be an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) device, at least one security gateway, at least one firewall configured to act as the primary safeguard security tool such as, but is not limited to, a packet filtering firewall, stateful packet-filtering firewall, proxy firewall, web application firewall, or at least one intrusion detection system (IDS), host-based IDS, network-based IDS, or at least one intrusion prevention system (IPS), or a combination of IDS and IPS. In some embodiments, the supplementary security component 306 can also be a unified threat management (UTM) device that consolidates various security functions and features such as network firewall, intrusion detection and prevention, gateway anti-virus, proxy firewall functionality, deep packet analysis, web content filtering and proxy, data loss prevention (DLP), security event and information management (SIEM), virtual private network (VPN) capabilities, endpoint protection, endpoint detection and response (EDR), network detection and response (NDR), extended detection and response (XDR), or combinations thereof. The use of the said security protocols further ensures the election data integrity and increases the efficiency of the election process management.

[0067] The processing unit 104 of the system 100 comprises an election management and configuration component 205 having a monitoring component 307 for monitoring, tracking, or surveying the processes of the system 100 and the election process or at least one election activity or election subprocess. The monitoring component 307 preferably conducts the monitoring in a real-time manner while also providing support services to the election officer and / or the warehouse personnel to ensure smooth configuration processes and efficient warehouse operations.

[0068] In another preferred embodiment, the election management and configuration component 205 is a processing device with one or more functionalities or can be construed as a processing unit configured to perform at least: provide a dashboard for overseeing the election process including the election officers and / or warehouse personnel, one or more pre-election activities, as well as one or more configuration tasks and election material tracking; facilitate the configuration of ballots, at least one voting machine, the system 100, or other related system; track the transport of the election materials such as the ballots and / or the voting machines including the tracking and monitoring of the election materials within a warehouse; implement access control and provide permissions for regulating user access; perform tasks relating to inventory reconciliation and auditing; perform validation or error checks on the said tasks preferably through the use of at least one advanced processing means; monitor and document the regulatory compliance of the system 100 and the entire election process; and / or perform or implement at least one security protocol for the election event.

[0069] In a preferred embodiment, the system 100 is configured to communicate with other systems 108 that functions generally the same with the system 100 according to the present invention. The system 100 is further configured to communicate with at least one cloud or remote server 103 for data processing, data storage, analytics, or any other processing means.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows the flow chart of the method for managing an election process. The method comprises the steps of: allowing an at least one voter to register for an election event via the registration component (step 400); deploying an at least one election officer to the election event via the training and certification component (step 401); implementing at least one security protocol for the election event via the security component (step 402); managing an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event via the election management and configuration component (step 403); collating result data from an at least one voting machine via the result aggregation component (step 404); processing the collated result data from the result aggregation component via the analytics component (step 405); and presenting the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means via the transparency portal component (step 406).

[0071] In step 400, at least one voter can access the system and register for an election event. The voter may perform this step via a registration component preferably on-site through the system's user interface or a dedicated kiosk for registration. The registration component acquires election data from the voter such as the voter's full name, age, gender, marital status, date of birth, permanent address, current address, contact details, family data, tax identification number, nationality, signature, biometric data such as the voter's fingerprint, iris, face, or hand geometry, or any other data relevant to the election event.

[0072] At least one election officer is then deployed to the election event via the training and certification component of the system (step 401). One or more security protocols are also implemented by the system via the security component (step 402). It is, however, conceivable that this (step 402) can be implemented at the start of the election process such as before the registration of the voters (step 400). The said security protocol is configured to run all throughout the election process or even after the election process as determined by the election officer.

[0073] In step 403, the at least one election activity and at least one election subprocess associated to the election event are managed preferably via the election management and configuration component of the system. The management of the said activity and the subprocess includes the implementation of the pre-election activities, monitoring of each voting precinct during the election event, deployment of the election officers in one or more election precincts, postelection activities, and other activities relating to the election event. In this step 403, the election event is performed such as the voting process of the voters using at least one voting machine. The voter fills up a ballot either manually or electronically using the interface of the voting machine or the system's user interface. The ballot comprises the names of the candidates for a specific position and the voter chooses his or her desired candidate by providing a mark on the said ballot. The voter then inserts or feeds the ballot to the voting machine for processing and collating. If done electronically, the voter digitally selects the candidate of his or her own choice using the voting machine. The voting machine allows the voter to review his / her election data such as the candidates he / she voted and asks for a confirmation from the said voter. If the voting machine receives a positive confirmation from the voter, the voting machine processes the election data and saves the processed data to a data storage unit of the voting machine or a data storage unit of the system. If the voting machine receives a negative confirmation response from the voter, the voting machine ejects the ballot via an electronic return mechanism. The ejection of the ballot may also happen when the ballot fails an authentication step performed by the voting machine. The voting machine, after processing the election data from a ballot, prints or outputs a receipt comprising election data related to the said ballot. The voting machine then sends the result data for each of the processed ballot to the system's processing unit having a feature for data aggregation or a result aggregation component.

[0074] In step 404, the received result data from at least one voting machine are collated by the processing unit or the processing unit's result aggregation component. In this step, the processing unit records and saves the result data, along with the associated metadata for each of the ballot, in a data storage device of the system. Each of the collated result data comprises the authenticated voter's data and the result data with the necessary timestamps, and / or security indicia.

[0075] In step 405, the collated result data are then processed by the processing unit's analytics component having at least one tool for statistics advanced processing means such as intelligent systems, predictive algorithm, artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithm, machine learning, deep learning, or combinations thereof. The analytics component provides an analysis tool for post-election statistics and helps the election officer to easily analyze election data or result data, log files, search, and filter any data to help optimize the system's performance, identify security threats, and streamline the troubleshooting of the election event or process, election activities, or election subprocesses.

[0076] After the processing of the collated result data, the said result data are presented via at least one digital means via the transparency platform component (step 406). The transparency platform component or can also be referred simply as the transparency platform provide at least one means for allowing the voters to have access to the election data or the election results. The transparency portal component can be an online application or website accessible by a smartphone, computer, or any third-party device. It is conceivable that the transparency portal component provides a trusted and reliable source of information about the status of the election results.

[0077] FIG. 5 shows the flow chart of the method for managing an election process. The method comprises the steps of: allowing access and configuration of a processing unit via an at least one user interface (step 500); allowing an at least one voter to register for the election event via the registration component (step 400); deploying an at least one election officer via the training and certification component (step 401); implementing at least one security protocol for the election event via the security component (step 402); managing an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event via the election management and configuration component (step 403); collating result data from an at least one voting machine via the result aggregation component (step 404); processing the collated result data from the result aggregation component via the analytics component (step 405); communicating the collated and processed result data to at least one third-party device and / or at least one cloud or remote server (step 501); and presenting the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means via the transparency portal (step 406). In FIG. 5, two additional steps are added to the process for managing the election process such as the steps of: allowing access and configuration of a processing unit via an at least one user interface (step 500); and communicating the collated and processed result data to at least one third-party device and / or at least one cloud or remote server (step 501).

[0078] In step 500, at least one election officer or an election administrator is allowed to access and configure the system or the processing unit of the system via at least one user interface. During this step, authentication is required wherein the at least one election officer or an election administrator undergoes at least one security means such as providing biometric data, inputting a password, using a security key, or combinations thereof. In some cases, the system comprises a predefined list of election officers that can access the system or the processing unit. Preferably, each attempt to access the system and / or the processing unit is logged in the processing unit's security component. If an unauthorized person tries to access the said system or processing unit, then the security component sends an alert or trigger an alarm notifying a third-party device or the security personnel. This also applies when an authorized election officer or election administrator accesses the system but fails to input the correct password or security key assigned to the said election officer or election administrator. It is conceivable that step 500 is an optional step and is also referred to as an election system configuration step.

[0079] In a preferred embodiment, the processed result data by the analytics component are communicated to at least one third-party device and / or at least one cloud or remote server. This step 500 provides a data safety measure wherein the result data are backed up in a remote server or stored in a cloud or remote server.

[0080] It is contemplated for embodiments described herein to extend to individual elements and concepts described herein, independently of other concepts, ideas or system, as well as for embodiments to include combinations of elements recited anywhere in this application. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. As such, many variations and modifications will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. Illustrative embodiments such as those depicted refer to a preferred form but are not limited to its constraints and are subject to modification and alternative forms. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents. Moreover, it is contemplated that a feature described either individually or as part of an embodiment may be combined with other individually described features, or parts of other embodiments, even if the other features and embodiments make no mention of the said feature. Hence, the absence of describing combinations should not preclude the inventor from claiming rights to such combinations.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A system for managing an election process, comprising: an at least one processing unit (104) configured to at least: allow an at least one voter to register for an election event; deploy an at least one election officer; manage an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event; implement an at least one security protocol for the election event; collate result data from an at least one voting machine (102); process the collated result data; and present the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means; an at least one user interface (105), connected to the processing unit (104), for allowing access and configuration to the said processing unit (104); an at least one data storage device (106) for storing the processed result data by the processing unit (104); and an at least one communications unit (107), connected to the processing unit (104), configured to at least send the processed result data to an at least one third-party device (109) and / or an at least one remote server (103).

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a ballot designer component (206) for designing an at least one ballot for the election event.

3. The system of claim 1, connected to the at least one voting machine (102) for processing an at least one ballot for the election event.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transparency portal (210) for presenting the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit (104) comprises one or more logistics tracking component (302) for tracking the transport of one or more election materials such as a ballot and one or more voting machines (102) within a warehouse or during the transport of the said election materials to a voting precinct or a predetermined location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit comprises a compliance component (305) for monitoring and documenting the regulatory compliance of the system (100) and / or the election process, wherein the compliance component (305) provides at least one recommendation for improving the compliance of the system (100) and / or the election process.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit (104) comprises one or more components, wherein the components are interconnected, such as but is not limited to: a registration component (203) for allowing an at least one voter to register for the election event; a training and certification component (204) for managing the deployment of an at least one election officer; an election management and configuration component (205) for managing an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event; a security component (207) for implementing at least one security protocol for the election event; a result aggregation component (208) for collating result data from an at least one voting machine; an at least one online voting component (209) for allowing voters to vote online via an online voting platform; an analytics component (211) for processing the collated result data from the result aggregation component.

8. A method for managing an election process using an at least one processing unit having an at least one component such as a registration component (203), a training and certification component (204), an election management and configuration component (205), a security component (207), a result aggregation component (208), a transparency portal (210), and an analytics component (211), comprising the steps of: allowing an at least one voter to register for an election event via the registration component (203);deploying an at least one election officer via the training and certification component (204); implementing at least one security protocol for the election event via the security component (207); - managing an at least one election activity and an at least one election subprocess associated to the election event via the election management and configuration component (205); collating result data from an at least one voting machine via the result aggregation component (208); - processing the collated result data from the result aggregation component (208) via the analytics component (211); and presenting the collated and processed result data via an at least one digital means via the transparency portal (210).

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of allowing access and configuration of the processing unit (104) via an at least one user interface (105).

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of communicating the collated and processed result data to at least one third-party device (109) and / or at least one cloud or remote server (103).

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