FROM:
Teresa
Hommel
Chair, Task
Force on Election Integrity, Community Church of New York
TO:
New York
State Board of Elections
40 Steuben
Street
Albany, NY
12207-2108
Comment on
Draft Voting Systems Standards
Section
6209.4 Application Process
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SBOE DRAFT
A. The
Election Operations Unit shall forward an application form, upon request, to
any
vendor, together
with a copy of applicable rules and regulations and a pre-qualification test
format for
both a general and primary election ballot program.
NYC BOE
RESPONSE
A. The
Election Operations Unit shall forward an application form, upon request, to
any
vendor,
together with a copy of applicable rules and regulations and a
pre-qualification test
format for
both a general and primary election ballot program.
A1. If a
vendor supplies several systems that potentially meet state specifications, the
vendor must
submit all
such systems for certification.
HOMMEL
SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT
A. The
Election Operations Unit shall forward an application form, within 5
business days of receipt of a request, to any vendor, together with a copy
of applicable rules and regulations and a pre-qualification test format for
both a general and primary election ballot program.
A1. If a
vendor supplies several systems that potentially meet state specifications, the
vendor must
submit all
such systems for certification at the same time.
REASON
The
standards should require the response to the vendor within a specified number
of days.
Vendors that
sell both DRE and Optical Scan systems should be required to submit them at the
same time.
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SBOE DRAFT
B. Said
vendor shall return completed ballot layouts based upon the pre-qualification
test
format to
the Election Operations Unit. Upon approval of the layouts, the vendor shall
program such
equipment and complete the pre-qualification tests for both ballot programs
provided,
and enter the simulated votes upon said equipment for each election program.
HOMMEL
SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT
B. Said
vendor shall return completed ballot layouts based upon the pre-qualification
test
format to
the Election Operations Unit. Upon approval of the layouts, the vendor shall
program such
equipment and complete the pre-qualification tests for both ballot programs
provided,
and manually enter the simulated votes upon said equipment for each
election program.
For DREs,
the entire set of simulated votes shall be entered separately for each device
that may be used by voters, including the touchscreen or pushbuttons, each
device to be used by voters with
disabilities,
and each minority language display.
REASON
The
pre-qualification test should ensure that votes can be entered via all devices
to be
used by
voters, and that the votes entered by each method will be recorded and tallied
properly.
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SBOE DRAFT
D. The
application and printouts shall be reviewed to determine if the voting system
shall
be
considered for certification and the applicant shall be notified of such
determination.
HOMMEL
SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT
D. The
application and printouts shall be reviewed to determine if the voting system
shall
be
considered for certification and the applicant shall be notified of such
determination
within 10
business days of receipt of the application and printouts.
REASON
The
standards should require the response to the vendor within a specified number
of days.
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SBOE DRAFT
G. Fees for
the examination of a voting system shall be assessed against the vendor by
the State
Board based upon the cost to the State Board for examination of such voting
system by an
outside contractor, laboratory or other authorized examiner, but the fees
assessed
shall not exceed the amount permitted by statute.
HOMMEL
SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT
G. Fees for
the examination of a voting system shall be assessed against the vendor by
the State
Board based upon the cost to the State Board for examination of such voting
system by an
outside contractor, laboratory or other authorized examiner, but the fees
assessed
shall not exceed the amount permitted by statute. The records of the State
Board's
examination and records of costs thereby incurred shall be provided to the
vendor and
shall be posted on the web site of the State Board of Elections.
All fees
must be paid by the vendor prior to certification.
REASON
The
examination and fees are a matter interest to the vendor as well as to the
public.