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Table of Contents
Problem Statement
Study Group
Background Part I
Background Part II
Mission
Findings Part I
Findings Part II
Systems Part I
Systems Part II
Conclusion
Recommendation
Other Options
Comments
Glossary

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Group Findings Cont.

V. Study Group Findings
(continued)

1. Travis County elections involve three voting programs.

   
   In Texas, a voter has three voting opportunities -- early by mail (EVBM), early in person (EVIP) or on election day

   (E-Day). Travis County's current optical scan ballot counting system allows for the same ballots and counting method to be used for EVBM, EVIP, and E-Day voting.

   1. Early Voting By Mail (EVBM)
      To vote early by mail, a voter must first apply to the early voting clerk for a ballot by mail and meet certain criteria. Once all requirements are met, a ballot packet is mailed to the voter, the voter votes, and returns the packet to the early voting clerk. Before election day, the early voting ballot board meets and processes the by-mail voted ballots and prepares these ballots for counting on election day.
      
      
   2. Early Voting In Person (EVIP)
      To vote early in person, an eligible registered voter simply visits any early voting polling place. Every early voting location, whether a stationary or mobile site, must provide a ballot for any registered Travis County voter, regardless of his/her residence. With the current optical scan paper ballot system, each Travis County early voting polling place must have 227 different ballot styles (one style for each precinct) in stock at all times, even if each ballot has the same text. Each precinct's ballots must be printed with a special code specific to that precinct to meet the statutory requirements of printing election returns by precinct. For a party primary election or in a joint election with the City of Austin, each location must have between 428 and 454 different ballot styles. To ensure enough ballot stock at each early voting location, ample quantity of ballots must be purchased. Depending on the size of the election, approximately $38,000 to $57,000 will be spent on ballot printing and ballot administration for early voting, some of which is unavoidably wasted due to the unpredictability of turnout.

      A precinct-specific, paper ballot system creates a lengthy, complicated, and cumbersome ballot distribution process for early voting. When ballots are received from the printer, they are in 227 precinct packets. These ballots must be allocated or split up to provide ballots for every precinct at every early voting site. This ballot allocation process is similar to dealing 227 decks of cards (with 300 to 1,500 uniquely serial numbered cards in each deck), into 30 separate groups-a paper heavy and labor intensive process. The early voting pollworkers must then ensure that adequate ballot stock is maintained throughout the 14-day early voting period. Additional ballot requests are sent to the elections operations center and ballots are pulled and inventoried. Daily supply couriers deliver additional ballots to the early voting polls as requested.

      This burdensome process is not foolproof, however. Occasionally, a location will run out of a particular precinct's ballot. A specific procedure is required if a voter comes to vote at an early voting location that has temporarily run out of ballots for that voter's precinct. Additionally, an emergency ballot run must occur to replenish that location's ballot supply. After early voting in person ends, these substituted ballots must be duplicated onto the appropriate precinct's ballot stock code by the early voting ballot board as they process and prepare the voted ballots for counting on election day. The prepared, early voted ballots are processed on election day and the results released at 7:01 PM, just as the polls close election night.

   3. Election Day Voting (E-Day)
      For election day voting, a voter can only cast his/her ballot in his/her precinct. Therefore, each election judge receives a quantity of ballots for just his/her precinct. They arrive from the printer packaged by precinct and are distributed at election day pick-up. Voters cast ballots throughout the day until 7:00 PM. After the polls close, the election judges process paperwork and prepare to bring the voted ballots to central counting station or to one of the receiving substations. As described in the problem background section, the location of the audit process and preparation of the election day ballots for counting is controversial. The question of whether this procedure should occur at the precinct level or at the central counting station has unfortunately been answered for us. Due to community concerns, efficiency and speed have been reduced.

      The election day ballot counting occurs election night after the polls close and the ballots are transported to the central counting station. This stage of the process has the greatest impact on the timeliness of the final election return report.

2. Elections and technology

   
   The technology of any voting system requires periodic upgrade and/or replacement. Change and system improvements are an accepted part of the conduct of elections. Community growth and technological advances play a role in determining when voting systems should be replaced and what type of system is best for the community. The study group recognizes that the commissioners court has not funded the county clerk's budget requests for precinct ballot counters during the last two budget cycles. Technological improvements are paramount to maintaining or improving trust in the Travis County elections process. Furthermore, Travis County is a leader in the high tech industry. Residents of Austin and Travis County have an expectation for competent, basic technology in all areas of local government, including elections.



3. Accessibility for all voters

   The 1999 study group recognizes the right of every citizen to cast a secret ballot. We believe efforts must be made to do as much as we can to address independent voting now. We also realize that future technology will offer better solutions and service to all voters, above and beyond our current optical scan system and the other systems currently certified for use in Texas.



4. Other Texas counties facing similar issues

   
   The study group reviewed the election practices of other large, urban Texas counties through both statistical analysis and direct, in-person presentations by Dallas County, El Paso County and Tarrant County election administrators. The study group found that many large urban counties have moved or are in the process of moving ahead technologically and away from a precinct voting and central count accumulation/report printing system, to a precinct based voting and counting system with central accumulation/report printing. This transition has met with a high degree of success and support from the voting public.

   In the table below, Tarrant County is shown calling into the Secretary of State at 12:18 AM. However, by 10:36 PM, 515 of 534 precincts, or 96% of the county, had been counted. Similarly, Dallas was 95% complete by 10:00 PM, although their final call did not go to the Secretary of State until 12:10 AM. For most races, 90 - 95% is adequate to predict the winner with some certainty.

Table 3. November 1998 Statistics for Top Ten Texas Counties

As shown in the table below, counties of similar size to Travis who have moved to a precinct ballot counting system were substantially complete much earlier than other counties.

Top Ten Texas Counties by Voter Count	Election System Type	Ballot Audit Type	1998 Number of Precincts	1998 Early Voters	1998 Election Day Voters	1998 TOTAL VOTERS	Approx. Time Substantially Completed	Time of Final Phone Call to S.O.S.
1. Harris	Punch	Precinct	936	106,791	429,652	536,443	11:30 PM	1:39 AM
A punch card voting system utilizes a paper ballot through which the voter punches a hole next to his/her choices. This system became popular in the 1970s. Few companies continue to manufacture these systems, and machines are difficult to keep maintained. Harris County is currently considering purchasing a new system. They are looking at both direct recording electronic and optical scan systems.
2. Dallas	OpScan	Precinct1	766	83,883	258,018	341,901	10:00 PM	12:10 AM
Optical scan also utilizes a paper ballot; however, instead of punching holes in the ballot, the voter darkens the circle or square next to his/her choices. The ballots are read by a scanning machine, and, in the system used in Dallas County, precinct ballot counters are utilized. This allows the voter to complete the intent of the voter audit at the precinct, before his/her ballot is cast. Dallas County moved to this system in 1998 after using punch cards for more than 25 years. In previous elections, Dallas called in to the SOS after 1:00 AM. During one election in 1996, the call was placed after 11:00 the morning after the election. The precinct ballot counters allow each precinct to modem in results to the central computer.
3. Tarrant	OpScan	Precinct	534	63,956	192,910	256,866	10:30 PM	12:18 AM
Tarrant County also utilizes precinct ballot counters. As with Dallas, this allowed election judges to call into the central counter soon after the precincts closed.
4. Bexar	OpScan	Central2	610	81,908	145,182	227,090	11:00 PM	2:55 AM
	2 page ballot
Unlike Travis County, Bexar County does not conduct hand audits of the ballots. A lawsuit is pending against Bexar County due to the lack of a hand audit. Bexar County is also forming a study group similar to Travis County's.
5. Travis Joint w/ City of Austin	OpScan	Central	227	54,608	120,130	174,738
		2 ballots	201	43,765	89,034	132,799	12:00 PM	2:56 AM
6. El Paso	Punch	Central	155	33,385	58,664	92,049	10:30 PM	12:34 AM
El Paso is actively seeking funding for the purchase of a new election system. They are currently investigating the prospect of phasing in a direct recording electronic (DRE) system throughout the county. (See further explanation of DREs below.)
7. Hidalgo	Lever	Precinct	94	15,583	32,246	~88,000	10:00 PM	12:01 AM
Introduced in the 1950s, lever machines were the first mechanical voting tool. They do not utilize a paper ballot and the intent of the voter audit is performed by the voter before they leave the booth. As with many other counties, Hidalgo is looking to update their voting system and is seriously investigating Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) systems.
8. Collin	Punch	Precinct	127	24,038	60,051	84,089	9:15 PM	10:58 PM
Collin County Election Judges perform precinct audits and straighten ballots throughout the day at the polling location.
9. Denton	OpScan	Central	118	17,945	50,182	68,127	-----	4:19 AM
Denton County experienced problems with ballot counting equipment. No returns were released until 4:19 AM. They are also looking to update their system.
10. Nueces	OpScan	Precinct	122	22,155	40,616	62,771	9:36 PM	9:36 PM
Nueces County uses precinct ballot counters. Election judges call in results for input into the main computer.

• return to Findings, part I
• continue on to Available Voting Systems