Desirable Properties of Post-Election Procedures Al Stone April 5, 2006 CMSC 691V

Source Material ► “Report of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project: What Is What Could Be”, 2001  Comprehensive and Far-Reaching  First seminal report in response to the 2000 Florida election debacle. ► “Insuring the Integrity of the Electoral Process: Recommendations for Consistent and Complete Reporting of Election Data”, Oct. 2004, Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project ► “Building Consensus on Election Reform”, August 2001, The Constitution Project’s Forum on Election Reform

Presentation Framework ► Desirable Properties of Elections ► Definition of Post-Election Procedures  Application of Properties ► Existing Best Practices in Other Industries ► Suggestions  Caltech/MIT  The Constitution Project ► Analysis and Discussion

An Election MUST Have… ► Vote Integrity ► Voter Privacy ► Resistance to Disruption ► Voting System Reliability ► Election Completeness ► (Lack of) System Complexity* ► Accessibility*

Election Process (Cradle to Grave) 1. Unearth election materials 2. Set up election 3. Carry out voting on Election Day 4. Close the polls 5. Collection of Election Materials 6. Transport Election Materials 7. Recount 8. Lock Down and Protect Election Materials 9. EXECUTE (8) FOR n years; GOTO (1);

Post-Election Processes ► Collection of Materials  “Box up” votes, collect smartcards, etc.  Shut down and disconnect machines. ► Transportation ► Recount  Transport votes, any equipment to recount location ► Lockup and Protection

Collection of Materials

► Physical Security ► Proper Containers ► Careful Collection ► Graceful Shutdown ► Tamper Tape

Caltech/MIT Suggestions: “Insuring the Integrity of the Electoral Process” ► Inventory of Equipment ► Number of Ballots Cast ► Number of Votes for Federal Office ► Number of Registered Voters ► Voter Count from Check-In List ► Absentee Ballot Count ► Challenged and Returned Absentee Ballots ► Challenged Provisional Ballots ► Number of Early Voters ► Transportation Records ► Storage Records

Transportation

The Stanley Cup Rideau Canal Dropkick 1905 Geraniums 1906 Flat Tire Roadside Luck 1924 Buoyancy Tests 1991 and 1993 Slovakian Debut 2003 Air Canada Weight Restrictions 2004 Fisher Peak, BC and Mt. Elbert, CO Auto Glass Plant Roller Coaster, Universal Studios Motorcycle Passenger Jetski Passenger Baptismal Font

Transportation ► Secure Vehicles ► Non-stop Transport ► Careful, Secure Loading and Unloading ► Police Presence ► Absentee Issues

Recount

Recount ► Motivated Election Workers ► Secure, Private Tabulation ► Collection of Materials ► Auditing of Materials ► Scheduling ► Capable Equipment

Lockup and Surveillance

► Perimeter Security ► Environmental Factors ► Secure, Proper Containers ► Periodic Inspection ► Capacity Issues ► Summary Re- Evaluation of Location

Insider Threat ► Maine, 1998  “Two legislative aides plead guilty to breaking into a ballot storage area in the Maine State House and tampering with the ballots being stored pending a recount of two close elections for the state legislature.” – Caltech/MIT Report, pg 42.

Other Industries ► Banking – It’s only money!  Pros: Vaults, Armed Guards, Armored Vehicles, Trained and Secure Tellers, Strict Policies, Periodic Audits, Ink Traps, Seamless Absentee Banking  Cons: Money, Identity Fraud, Robberies, Insurance “Safety Net”, ATM Security Flaws ► Shipping – What security?  Pros: Principles of Competition (Speed, Integrity, Privacy, Completion), Legal Backing, Tracking Software, Tamper Detection  Cons: No Resistance, Inaccuracy, Delays

Caltech/MIT Suggestions: “What Is, What Could Be” ► Auditable Equipment For Recounts ► Restricted Absentee Voting With Uniform Reporting of Results  Coercion, Fraud/Security, Accuracy, and Speed ► Periodic Equipment Auditing ► Less Ambiguous Recount Processes ► AMVA system  Replaceable components decrease likelihood of corrupt vendors  All Voting Machines should implement multiple means of recording votes

Constitution Project Suggestions ► Sufficient Time for Counting and Contesting Procedures ► States define “valid vote” ► States establish recount rules ► States provide post-election audits

Analysis and Conclusions ► Secure vs. Cost-Effective  No longer limited by other properties, but by money priorities ► Auditing  Recount or no, more than just votes ► Decentralization  State-defined priorities ► Lessen the Impact of Absentee Issues ► Care and Accuracy vs. Speed