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WORKSHOP ON DEVELOPING A RESEARCH AGENDA FOR ELECTRONIC VOTING TECHNOLOGIES

September 17-18, 2004

Convened by the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Main | Program | Participants | Synopses

Linda H. Lamone

AAAS WORKSHOP ON E-VOTING TECHNOLOGIES
SYNOPSIS OF ISSUES FROM THE
MARYLAND STATE ADMINISTRATOR OF ELECTIONS

Maryland's Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting system has been studied and analyzed more than any other voting system in the country. Maryland's voting system vendor has come under more criticism than any other voting system vendor. Based upon this experience, I offer issues in two categories: those dealing with the technology, and those dealing with the administration of elections using this technology.

TECHNOLOGY:

Security
o What is the extent to which the voting system vendors are incorporating security into all of their processes, i.e., from system design and development to manufacturing to client delivery?
o Perform a Risk Assessment of ALL Voting Systems

DRE
Optical Scan

o What is the Cost/Benefit analysis of the implementation of security?

Usability
o Multiple-page ballot vs. Full-face ballot

Is a voter more likely to have "drop off" votes on a multiple page ballot?

o To what extent are voting system vendors incorporating usability studies into the development of voting systems?

Innovation/Keeping Current
o How does one ensure that the technology purchased today stays current with new and emerging technology?

FEC 2000 Voting System Security Standards
o Need to be broadened to incorporate industry standard computer system security standards (led by NIST)
o Review and evaluate NIST security standards to see which are reasonable to apply
o Cost/Benefit analysis
o Baseline for each Model

Testing
o What are the Test Plans and Scripts used by the Independent Testing Authorities (ITAs)?
o What additional tests can/should be performed to verify all aspects of the voting system?
o Need more ITA laboratories and personnel

Now, appears to be one person in each lab who tests all vendors' systems
Unable to keep up with the many different technologies and upgrades in the pipeline

What role can/should NIST play?
o Establish baseline security analyses and requirements for

Vendors
Election Officials
Voters

ADMINISTRATION OF ELECTIONS:

Application of existing management principles to election administration:
o Business Process Re-engineering (BPR)

Examples:
- How do you handle the sheer volume of tasks, personnel, and time associated with 16,000+ units in the state?
  - Inventory and Logistics
  - User Acceptance Testing
  - Election Preparation
- Election Officials need to re-think all processes
  - Example: Do you need to perform L&A (Logic & Accuracy) tests on all 16,000+ units?

o People Change Management

DRE Technology is changing the way election business is done
Enhanced in-house technical personnel required
Desire to eliminate reliance on vendors
Need higher standard for election officials at all levels
"Technical" Election Judges - new requirement
After BPR, how do you help the people go through the change process to accepting the new way of doing business?

o Public Relations/Communications/Outreach

Public perception issues about voting system companies
Often over-simplified perspective of processes, technology, and level of effort to prepare equipment for and conduct an election
Cost/Benefit - for everything that is done
New technology empowers more voters than ever before, e.g., blind and handicapped voters
How can we do what has to be done and keep the public's confidence in elections?

What is the Cost of conducting an election?
o DRE vs. Optical Scan vs. Lever vs. Punch Card
o Individual jurisdictions vs. State

What is the Cost of technical support for voting systems and the best way to manage the support across the jurisdiction(s)?

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