Ballot Image Tabulator Security via Diachronic Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing voting systems utilizing ballot images face insecurity due to unavailability of records from loss or corruption, ballot tampering, and suspicion that the electorate's intent is not honored, particularly in close or contested elections.
Innovation Solution
An enhanced security ballot image tabulator that creates a tangible, publicly accessible record of ballot images, time and date stamps each ballot, includes a locator number, and provides a running tabulation, allowing citizens to verify their votes and detect any tampering through diachronic and synchronic security parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ballot images are stored in digital format for tabulation, then tabulation efficiency is improved, but security and availability of records deteriorate due to risk of loss or corruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates multiple copies of ballot images and stores them in different formats and locations. Digital images are converted to both image files and video formats, with copies stored in secure repositories and broadcastable formats, ensuring record availability even if one storage medium fails
Solution Approach 2:
The ballot image record is segmented into multiple independent formats (image files, video feeds, broadcast streams) that can be independently accessed and verified. This segmentation ensures that if one format becomes corrupted or unavailable, other formats remain accessible for audit purposes
2Loss of information
If ballot images are made publicly accessible for verification, then audit transparency is improved, but vulnerability to tampering detection increases
Solution Approach 1:
Security features including timestamps, serial numbers, and cryptographic hashes are embedded in ballot images before they are made publicly accessible. This preliminary encoding allows verification of authenticity and detection of tampering without requiring complex verification systems during public access
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback through broadcast feeds and public access portals that allow immediate verification of ballot images. Any discrepancies or tampering attempts are detectable through the embedded security features, providing continuous feedback on record integrity
3Ease of operation
If detailed ballot images are broadcast in real-time, then public verification capability is improved, but bandwidth and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different levels of image quality and detail are provided for different purposes. High-resolution images are maintained for official records, while optimized lower-resolution versions are used for real-time broadcast and public viewing, reducing bandwidth requirements while maintaining verification capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system broadcasts key identifying features and timestamps of ballot images rather than continuously transmitting full high-resolution images. This partial transmission provides sufficient verification information while significantly reducing bandwidth and processing requirements
Data Source
AI summary
The system and method providing enhanced security ballot image records of the present invention includes an enhanced security ballot image tabulator and an enhanced security ballot image audit station. The tabulator processes each ballot of a plurality of ballots to be tabulated to provide an enhanced security ballot image record having diachronically and synchronically coordinated enhanced security ballot image files, each for another ballot of the plurality of ballots to be tabulated. The enhanced security ballot image record may be broadcast upon completion of tabulation and/or simulcast real time during tabulation or otherwise provided such as on a secure media upon completion of tabulation to the public or other parties interested in the tabulation of cast votes. The enhanced security audit station receives the enhanced security ballot image record and analyzes it to selectively identify out-of-bounds diachronic and/or synchronic security parameters. Any identified ballots may then be reviewed by election officials or other interested parties for validity and authentication purposes. The tabulator may be used to also produce images of the voter sign-in sheets, for the purpose of analytic correlation with the enhanced security files of the enhanced security ballot image record and their tabulation.