Verity Count - ColoradoVerity Scan is a polling-place- based digital scanner for voted ballots. I can be used with manually marked ballots or those printed via the Verity Touch Writer

© Hart InterCivic Inc.

Verity Count 66XX-XXX A Verity_1.0_CoursePack_Count

Getting Started

Module 1

objectives

In this course, election officials and staff will: • Obtain an overall grasp of Verity Office

• Have the information and skills necessary to operate Verity Count software for any election

• Learn how to read and tabulate vDrives

• Learn how to resolve cast vote records

• Print reports

benefits of Verity Count

Efficiency and information management – Verity Count is designed to keep to support fast reporting of results on Election Night. With easy-to-use intuitive “dashboards,” there’s no need to sift through many reports to quickly see your progress toward completion. Customizable reporting – Verity Count provides attractive standard reports and intuitive tools to create new reports based on the data that you want. The power to decide when and how to display, combine, or group results is in your hands, through an intuitive, friendly user interface.

benefits of Verity Count

Scalability – Verity Count can be configured to support client workstations to maximize the speed with which flash memory results can be read on Election Night. Easy, efficient auditability – Verity Count has an integrated Auditing Dashboard with robust filters that allow you to access Cast Vote Records with great specificity, to support almost any kind of audit, according to your local procedures.

Ballots

Polling Place

Touch Writer Scan

vDrive

vDrive

vDrive

Ballots

Scanner

Verity system overview


Using Verity Touch Writer, voters mark digital ballots via a touch screen. After the voter has confirmed their selections, the marked ballot prints. The voter then retrieves and casts their ballot.


Verity Touch Writer is compatible with Verity Access, which provides the following voter input options (in addition to the touch screen): buttons with scrolling wheel, headphones, and tactile button or sip-and-puff devices. The Verity Access can be docked within the Verity Touch Writer or held in hand.


Verity Scan is a polling-place-based digital scanner for voted ballots. I can be used with manually marked ballots or those printed via the Verity Touch Writer. If a voter marks contests incorrectly on their ballot, Verity Scan gives the voter the opportunity to check and/or correct their ballot before casting. Verity scan deposits scanned paper ballots into its secure ballot box for locked storage.


In the Verity system, vDrives are used to transfer ballots from software to device for voting, and to transfer voted ballots to software for tabulation.

vDrives also carry the audit log for their associated device to ensure voting remains fair.

Verity security features

Verity Key, is a small security device that is programmed for each election. Verity Key is inserted into a USB port. Verity Key is part of Verity’s two-factor authentication process. Two-factor authentication requires each user to have something (a programmed Verity Key) and to know something (the passcode associated with the Verity Key). Both the user passcode and the Verity Key must be authenticated together. Certain operations within the Verity Voting system require the Verity Key to be inserted and the passcode to be entered. Only when the Verity system authenticates the Verity key and password will it allow the operation to continue. If Verity fails to authenticate a Verity Key or password, the Verity Key may not have been programmed properly for the current election.

Verity Key

Verity security features

Verity Security Features • Verity Voting utilizes the AAA (authentication, authorization, and

audit) security framework • All Verity software has been tested by an independent voting

system test lab and the Election Assistance Commission to ensure proper security.

• Verity uses a multi-layered authentication process • Verity software is tamper evident • Comprehensive audit logs are generated for all login attempts, data

transfers, configuration changes, and errors. Logs are stored redundantly and securely.

• Vote records are stored redundantly for security and auditability. • The integrity of the data is protected from power outage, power

surge, magnets, and rough handling.

managing users

User Management

Choose Users button from Verity Election Office Dashboard

managing users

Adding Users

• Click Add to add a new user

• Set rules for all users on the right

managing users

Adding Users

• Type the new User Name

• Click the + to view and assign roles

managing users

Adding Users

• Assign roles for each Application

managing users

Adding Users

managing users

Adding Users

managing users

Deleting Users

• Click Delete to remove a selected user

managing users

Password Tips

• Passwords must be at least 6 characters

• Passwords should contain a numbers and letters

• Passwords should contain uppercase and lowercase letters

managing users

Audit Logs and System Logs

Through the Verity audit and system logs, you can:

• Track every action performed in plain language

• Easily view which user performed each action

• View at what time each action was performed

managing elections

Election Management

Choose Manage button from Verity Election Office Dashboard

managing elections

Election Management Overview

An election is highlighted when selected

managing elections

Actions Button

Add, Copy, Rename, Delete, Import, Archive or Restore an Election

Verity Count

vDrives from Central

vDrives from Polling Places

Count Reports

Verity Count

Overview of sequential steps

• Open the election • Create a new task • Open the task

• Read and tabulate vDrives • Resolve Write-in Votes • Print reports

using the help tab

getting started

Exercise 1.1

Open Verity Count and create users for the application. Delete unnecessary users, if needed.

Activities in the Elections Tab

Module 2

opening the election

creating tasks

What is a Task?

A task is a new instance of a particular election. Each task can be created in Test or Election mode. For example for General Election 2014 you may have the following tasks:

• General Election 2014 LAT1 – Test mode • General Election 2014 LAT2 – Test mode • General Election 2014 Official – Election mode • General Election 2014 LAT3 – Test mode

creating tasks

setting preferences

activities in the elections tab

Exercise 2.1

Select and open training election as created in Verity Build.


Exercise 2.2

Note file path of ElectionData.zip and practice backup procedures.


Exercise 2.3

Set election preferences.


Exercise 2.4

Create and open a task in the Tasks tab. Set the task type and report label as appropriate to the training and corresponding vDrives to be read.

Activities in the Read Tab Module 3

dashboard

Dashboard Orientation

dashboard

Starting and Stopping Tabulation

dashboard

Current and Previous vDrives

dashboard

Printing Reports from the Dashboard

reading media

Reading vDrives

Insert the vDrive into the computer’s USB port to begin reading vDrives.

activities in the read tab

Exercise 3.1

Read vDrives containing CVRs from Verity Central and/or Verity Voting Devices used in training in the Media Reading screen.


Exercise 3.2

Tabulate results in the Dashboard screen.


Exercise 3.3

Preview and/or print one of each report.


Exercise 3.4

Verify that all vDrives have been read in the Media Reading screen.

Activities in the Resolve Tab Module 4

write-in votes

Resolving Deferred Write-ins from Central

• If you chose “Defer to Verity Count” under Write-In Resolution when setting up your Election Task(s) in Verity Central, you will assign and resolve your write-in votes in Verity Count.

• If this step was done in Verity Central, all write-in votes will already be assigned.

write-in votes

Resolving Write-ins by Contest from Central and Scan

write-in votes

Adding Write-in Names and Alternate Spellings Expanding a contest allows you to manage certified write-in candidates and alternate spellings

write-in votes

Choosing Unassigned write-ins lets you browse and assign write-in votes to one of the certified write-in candidates

Text…

Choosing Assigned write-ins lets you browse (and, if necessary, unassign) previously assigned write-in votes.

activities in the resolve tab

Exercise 4.1

Resolve and assign all Write-in votes from tabulated vDrives.


Exercise 4.2

Process provisional votes cast from Verity Touch.


Exercise 4.3

Set rules for device reports.

Activities in the Results Tab Module 5

options

General Tab Settings

options

Contests

Options

Voting Types

options

Precinct Groups

options

Election Reporting Merge

options

Aliases

reports

Reading Reports

reports

Printing Reports

reports

Saving and Naming Reports

reports

Creating Custom Reports

Proofing the Ballot

Audit Log and System Log reports

Audit Log and System Log reports are available in the reports section for each application. For Count, these reports are located under the Results tab, under Reports. Audit Log Report • Logs all activity for the Count application. • Records user identities and actions performed.

System Log Report • Logs all workstation logins and other actions performed on the

network that are independent of the specific applications. • Records user identities and actions performed

reports

precincts

Setting Reporting Status by Precinct

In the Precincts menu, choose Set Status under the Action menu.

precincts

In the Precincts menu, choose Print Report under the Action menu.

Printing the Precincts Reporting Status Report

precincts

Manually Overriding Precincts Reporting

The Manual override checkbox allows you to manually set reporting status by precinct.

polling places

Setting Reporting Status by Polling Place

Text…

In the Polling Places menu, choose Set Status under the Action menu

polling places

Setting the Number of Expected vDrives

In the Polling Places menu, choose Set vDrives expected under the Action menu

polling places

Manually Overriding Polling Place Reporting

Text…

The Manual override checkbox allows you to manually set reporting status by polling place.

polling places

Printing the Polling Place Reporting Status Report

In the Polling Places menu, choose Print Report under the Action menu

registered voters

Adding Registered Voter Numbers by Precinct

vote recording

Using the Manual Recording Wizard

vote recording


vote recording


vote recording


vote recording

Manual Vote Recording Best Practices

• Record the presence of observers • Perform a backup export and print reports for the

election before performing Manual Vote Recording, label these with a note such as “before starting manual recording”.

• Manually write on the reports, perform necessary calculations, and ensure any changes reconcile properly before entering the manual adjustments in the Manual Vote Recording wizard.

• After performing Manual Vote Recording, print a new report and compare against the one produced before MVR.

auditing dashboard

Adding Filters

auditing dashboard

Print Report

auditing dashboard

Export CVRs

activities in the results tab

Exercise 5.1

Set up reporting options in the Options tab. Work through each: General, Contests, Voting Types, Precinct Groups.


Exercise 5.2

Create at least two aliases in each of the following tabs: precincts, parties, voting types, contests, and choices.


Exercise 5.3

View and/or print one of each report, as appropriate


Exercise 5.4

Manually adjust the status of one precinct. View the Precincts Reporting Status report.


Exercise 5.5

Manually adjust the status of one polling place to “Partially Reporting” and set the number of expected vDrives for that polling place. View the Polling Places Reporting Status report.


Exercise 5.6

Create a custom cumulative report with aliases applied. View the custom report.


Exercise 5.7

Adjust the number of registered voters for two precincts. View adjustment in the cumulative report.


Exercise 5.8

In the Vote Recording tab, Manually record one vote using the Manual Vote Recording wizard. View the added record in the cumulative report.


Exercise 5.9

From the Auditing Dashboard, Add two different filters (precinct and Ballot Content/Contests and print report based on the applied filters. Export CVRs applying the same filter settings.

Activities in the Import/Export Tab

Module 6

import

District Definitions

This is an importable text file (.txt) of all districts

import

Registered Voters Information

This is an importable text file (.txt) of voter registration, by precinct

import

Provisional Ballot Status

Provisional ballots when cast are stored separately from regular votes. In count, users can determine which provisional votes will be included with regular vote totals and which will not. This tells you which provisional ballots are currently included and excluded.

import

Certified Write-in Candidates

This is a list of all write-in candidates accepted as “to be counted” and will therefore appear on tabulation reports

export

Detailed Vote Totals

This is an export of the entire elections results, usually precinct. This export would be created in Count and through some means delivered to the State, county website, etc

export

Registered Voter Information

This is an exportable text file (.txt) of voter registration, by precinct

activities in the import/export tab

Exercise 6.1

Export Detailed Vote Totals to desktop. Name the export “DetailedVoteTotals.csv”.

Review and Conclusion Module 7

review

Review • Creating Tasks • Reading Media • Resolving Ballots • Getting Results and Creating Reports • Importing and Exporting

database archival

Back up election data onto recordable CD-Rs or DVD-Rs using the disc-burning software installed on all Verity computers. When backing up data: • Create at least two copies of each CD or DVD. Store one copy offsite. • Label the surface of the disc—not the jewel case—with a permanent

marker. • Label each disc clearly to avoid confusion. On the disc, write:

o Application being backed up o Name and date of the election o What mode or state the database is in o Time/date-stamped folder name (if applicable) o Date and time of the backup

• Store discs away from direct sunlight, and in a climate controlled room. • Do not back up data solely to a hard disk drive (internal or external). Hard

disk drives can be used for short term data storage during the election event, but should not be used as a long-term archive.

reloading an election

Previously created elections can be reloaded into Verity, for example: • Reloading an election from an archive to review,

module by module, how it was created

• In the event of computer loss, reloading an election onto a new PC/installation

Q&A

Questions?

review and conclusion

Exercise 7.1

Discuss archival of election data and reloading elections in Verity Count.

Documents

Verity Count - ColoradoVerity Scan is a polling-place- based digital scanner for voted ballots. I can be used with manually marked ballots or those printed via the Verity Touch Writer