| 1 |
Voter Identification Card (VIC) |
| 1.1 |
All votes are cast utilizing a valid state issued Voter Identification Card. |
| 1.1.1 |
A valid VIC can be a driver's license or state identification card. |
| 1.2 |
State identification cards are to be free. |
| 1.2.1 |
States are paid a per ID fee by the Federal government. |
| 1.3 |
Attaining either a driver’s license or state identification card automatically registers the citizen to vote in all elections applicable to the registered address (assuming citizenship, death certificate, etc. checks are positive). |
| 1.4 |
For voter identification purposes, each citizen can have only one active voter identification card. |
| 1.4.1 |
Enforcement is executed at the national level. |
| 1.5 |
The last identification card registered with the Voter Information Source will be the active Voter Identification Card. |
| 1.6 |
Social Security Number or new Voter Identification Number (VID) is the primary key for all status checks. |
| 1.7 |
Voter Identification Card registration/creation must be completed before Election Day. |
| 1.7.1 |
All states will offer extended hours, at least two days per week, to facilitate citizens that work during normal business hours. |
| 1.8 |
VICs never expire and don't need to be updated unless the voter moves. |
| 1.8.1 |
If a driver’s license is a citizen’s VIC and it is expired, it is still a valid VIC. |
| 1.9 |
Positive identification is needed for VIC issuance.
This should be no different than most states require today.
<TODO> Research current state requirements </TODO>
- Minimum Requirements -
Social Security Card/Number and any one of the following:
a) Birth Certificate
b) Certificate of Citizenship
c) more?
See Homeless section below for additional services
|
| 1.10 |
Citizenship status is verified automatically upon VIC registration |
| 1.11 |
In special situations, if voters are unable to reach the state agency (Secretary of State in Michigan), Certified Election Officials (CEO) can be scheduled to go to the citizens; registering/creating their State Identification Card. Samples include: nursing homes, hospitals, Native American reservations, individual residences. All CEO based registrations must be scheduled at least one month before the desired Election Day to guarantee registration in time for that election. |
| 1.11.1 |
The CEO registration deadline is needed to make sure that all desiring registration via CEO can be accommodated. |
| 1.11.2 |
Citizens taking advantage of CEO availability do not create a path for fraud, but they would increase the costs associated with implementing the program. |
| 2.1 |
Homeless citizens have the same right to vote as all others |
| 2.2 |
Being homeless does not remove the need for a valid VIC in order to vote. |
| 2.3 |
During the VIC registration process, if the individual is identified as homeless, the address used on the VIC is that of the city center where the citizen spends the majority of his/her time. Typically this would be the local Federal Election Center. |
| 2.4 |
No homeless specific registration or voting enablement is needed beyond what has already been defined in the appropriate sections of this document. |
| 2.5 |
Question: Do we offer "lockfolder" services at the citizen's local Federal Election Center? It would be minimal cost and address document storage needs for homeless citizens. Storage would be limited to Birth Certificate, Social Security Card and Voter Identification Card Security could be implemented via facial recognition, fingerprint, more. Signature is required when items are removed (confirming "lockfolder inventory". Receipt is given each time an item is added or removed from the "lockfolder". |
| 3.1 |
Each voter can vote once and only once. |
| 3.2 |
Ballots can be cast at any Federal Election Center (FEC) in the US. |
| 3.3 |
Voting equipment requires swiping or scanning of a valid VIC and takes a picture of the voter. |
| 3.3.1 |
Denying a picture ends the voting session. |
| 3.4 |
The registered address on the voter’s VIC at the time of the Voting Session determines home precinct and which ballot to present. (standardization shouldn't be an issue). |
| 3.5 |
Proposal Elections - Definition Needed
The current system causes a problem because those with no vested interest in a community are allowed to vote on community specific issues, i.e.; school millage. Adult children living with a parent should not be eligible. Should apartment dwellers? The system being proposed could easily correct this situation but would require discussions on how to properly implement it. Initially it might be best to leave it as-is today, everyone living in the community votes on these types of issues.
|
| 3.6 |
Upon submission of a ballot, the voter is presented with a "ballot receipt" that identifies the ballot number and a listing of candidates that were voted for. |
| 3.6.1 |
If the voter feels that a vote was registered incorrectly, that ballot and receipt can be cancelled, with a new ballot issued. |
| 3.6.2 |
The count of uncancelled receipts printed should match the number of ballots counted. |
| 3.7 |
If a voter will be unable to vote at a FEC on Election Day, contact your local FEC to schedule an Off Cycle Voting Session. Off Cycle Voting Sessions are available up to two weeks before Election Day. |
| 3.8 |
If a voter will be unable to vote at a polling place due to physical limitations, he/she will be able to contact a local FEC to schedule an Off Site Voting Session. |
| 3.8.1 |
A CEO will bring voting equipment to the voter(s) at the scheduled time. |
| 3.8.2 |
These are intended to be special cases and can be executed up to two weeks in advance of Election Day. |
| 3.9 |
If a voter is sick on Election Day and can’t or shouldn’t visit a FEC on Election Day, he/she can call any FEC to execute a Health Deferral. |
| 3.9.1 |
A Health Deferral gives the voter a two-day variance. |
| 3.9.2 |
He/she can vote at any FEC within 48 hours of poles closing. |
| 3.9.3 |
Proof of illness will be required when voting after executing a Health Deferral. |
| 3.9.4 |
All that can't meet the 48 hour deadline, given notice to FEC Officials, can be accommodated via an Off Site Voting Session where appropriate (hospital, etc). |
| 3.10 |
Active military will have the same voting equipment available wherever they may be. |
| 3.10.1 |
We need to work out what happens during wartime and/or conflict. |
| 3.11 |
Paper voting packets will be available, via FEC, for those voters that will be abroad during the entire “voting season”. |
| 3.11.1 |
Proof of international travel/living will be required before the voting packet can be shipped. |
| 3.11.2 |
All packets must be received by poll closing on election day. |
| 3.11.3 |
The volume should be minimal in the grand scheme of things. |
| 3.12 |
If the voter feels that the address displayed during the voting session is incorrect, allow the voter to enter a valid US address and the ballot presented will be the one for the entered address. |
| 3.12.1 |
The vote is flagged for review, which is executed by a CEO before the voter leaves the FEC. |
| 3.13 |
If a voter is rejected due to citizenship status, the voter is notified and can select to continue casting his/her ballot or exit. |
| 3.13.1 |
If the ballot is cast, it’s flagged for citizenship follow-up (more below). |
| 3.14 |
Voting pictures could be used to perform facial recognition against the VIC picture. |
| 3.14.1 |
Any logic in this area would need to account for/accommodate aging and special circumstance voters due to the non-expiring status of VICs. |
| 3.15 |
Provisions to prevent excessive Off Site Session scheduling. |
| 3.15.1 |
Large volumes of Off Site Sessions would not contaminate the election, but could make it impossible to perform all before the Election Certification Date (explained below). |
| 3.15.2 |
Abuse of Off Site voting doesn't contaminate the election, it does mean that more labor/expense would be incurred and election results could be delayed until all are accomplished. |
| 3.16.1 |
Results Information and Polls - The current process was OK before modern tech, but no more. It's not right that those on the west coast/Hawaii and Alaska are exposed to results from the east. |
| 3.16.1.1 |
No results are announced until the election is over for all precincts that vote in the election. |
| 3.16.1.2 |
Exit polls are no longer allowed. |
| 4.1 |
Certification Date is the date by which all ballots must be processed. |
| 4.2 |
All votes are validated within 72 hours of poll closing. |
| 4.2.1 |
This three day period is to accommodate: |
| 4.2.1.2 |
Facilitate proper research/processing/counting of all “citizenship status” ballots |
| 4.2.1.3 |
Process all deaths leading up to Election Day |
| 4.2.1.3.1 |
Death Certificate submission requirements are/will be stipulated by law. |
| 5.1.1 |
Central voter validation services. |
| 5.1.2 |
Source of truth for voter and voting session status. |
| 5.2.1 |
Multiple full-time locations in each state, maybe utilizing Post Offices or dedicated Centers if a large enough community. |
| 5.2.2 |
Election Day polling places/Election Centers don't change much, just the technology in use. |
| 5.2.3 |
All are staffed by Certified Election Officials |
| 5.3 |
Certified Election Officials |
| 5.3.1.2 |
Specially trained and certified in applicable laws, security, process, avoiding bias and public interactions/addressing issues. |
| 5.3.1.3 |
Some are full-time (postal workers?); some are part time, for “election season” only. |
| 5.3.1.4 |
The position carries an elevated level of responsibility. |
| 5.3.1.4.1 |
Election fraud is, or becomes, a felony. |
| 5.3.1.4.2 |
By law, Certified Election Officials are guaranteed leave from all employment on all Election Days and required training/certification camps (?2-3 one day sessions per year) |
| 5.4.1 |
Secure, redundant, high availability infrastructure |
| 5.4.2 |
Voter Information Source - data services for required validations. |
| 5.4.2.1 |
There’s no reason in this connected era that a lack of interoperability facilitates the perception, and possibly execution of election fraud. |
| 5.4.2.2 |
All Voter Information Sources utilize SSN or VID for all validity checks. |
| 5.4.2.3.1 |
Can be used on or off network (facilitating Off Site Voting Sessions). |
| 5.4.2.3.2 |
All are interchangeable/compatible, facilitating centralized “spare” equipment |
| 5.4.3 |
All person to person voter interactions are recorded |
| 5.4.3.2 |
Video is recorded where appropriate |