General Information about Voting Methods and Systems

Voting System: The mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic equipment, software, firmware, documentation, and other components required for election management activities. This includes ballot layout, vote casting, tabulation, transmission of results, and management of voting systems. For example, a state using Accuvote -TSX, Accuvote -OS, intElect DS200, and iVotronic- V-VPAT would have 4 voting systems. Voting method: The general classes or types of technology used in a voting system. Examples include paper ballots, lever machines, punch cards, optical scan (or "mark sense"), and direct recording equipment (DRE) (or "touch screen").

1.	During the November 2006 general election, which of the following voting methods did your state use for each type of voting?
	(Check all that apply in each row)

		Was not used	Used at Polling Places/General Election Day	Used for Absentee Voting	Used for Early Voting	Don't Know
	a. Direct recording equipment (DRE)
	b. Precinct count optical scan
	c. Central count optical scan
	d. Lever machine
	e. Punch card ballot
	f. Ballot marking device
	g. Vote-by-phone
	h. Paper (hand-counted) ballot
	i. Other (describe below)

	j. If applicable, briefly describe other method and for what type of voting used:

2.	For the November 2006 general election, approximately what percentage of votes were cast in your state using each of the following methods?

	x. (Check box at right if information not available)
	a. DRE	%
	b. Precinct count optical scan	%
	c. Central count optical scan	%
	d. Lever machine	%
	e. Punch card ballot	%
	f. Ballot marking device	%
	g. Vote-by-phone	%
	h. Paper (hand counted) ballot	%
	i. Other	%

3.	Which of the following statements best describes your state's involvement in local jurisdictions' selection of specific voting systems for the November 2006 general election?
	(Check one)
	1.		State selected voting system(s) for local jurisdictions
	2.		State provided a list of approved voting systems from which local jurisdictions were required to select
	3.		State required that voting systems selected by local jurisdictions then be approved by the state
	4.		State was not involved in local jurisdictions' selection of voting systems
	5.		Other (describe below)
	6.		Don't know

	a. If applicable, briefly describe other way state was involved in system selection:

4.	For the November 2008 general election, which of the following voting methods does your state plan to use for each type of voting?
	(Check all that apply in each row)

		Will not use	Use at Polling Places/General Election Day	Use for Absentee Voting	Use for Early Voting	Don't Know
	a. Direct recording equipment (DRE)
	b. Precinct count optical scan
	c. Central count optical scan
	d. Lever machine
	e. Punch card ballot
	f. Ballot marking device
	g. Vote-by-phone
	h. Paper (hand counted) ballot
	i. Other (describe below)

	j. If applicable, briefly describe other method and for what type of voting used:

5.	Which of the following statements best describes your state's involvement in local jurisdictions' selection of specific voting systems for the November 2008 general election?
	(Check one)
	1.		State selected voting system(s) for local jurisdictions
	2.		State provided a list of approved voting systems from which local jurisdictions were required to select
	3.		State required that voting systems selected by local jurisdictions then be approved by the state
	4.		State was not involved in local jurisdictions' selection of voting systems
	5.		Other (describe below)
	6.		Don't know

	a. If applicable, briefly describe other way state is involved in system selection:

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Full Report: GAO-08-874

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