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Re: GEMS 1.11.2 preference voting errors



Somewhere in GEMS there must be a setting to cause the following happen: race is a vote for one; write-in voting in allowed; voter votes for both a named candidate and the write-in space; race is not treated as an overvote, but instead the vote is given to the write-in space.  This is a requirement of North Carolina election law.  I was of the opinion (as was the GEMS documentation dated 6/30/98) that the way to cause this to happen was to set the Write-In setting (under AccuVote Options) to Override.  I was wrong.  Is there a place to set the AccuVote for the behavior required by the North Carolina election code?  If not, there should be immediately.  This has been noticed by one of the North Carolina customers in preparation for their October municipal elections.  November elections follow immediately.  I'm willing to let it ride until after November, but I would like sales to weigh in on the issue to determine how much damage this may cause.  If this functionality has never been in place, no one seemed to notice in the three accounts using GEMS in 1998 (Ashe, Avery, Iredell).  Several North Carolina accounts have now upgraded to GEMS or have their service bureau work done on GEMS (namely Halifax, Harnett, Edgecombe, Franklin, Rowan, Richmond).  Also, we've run into a bit of trouble at the N.C. State Board of Elections (albeit over an entirely different issue of AccuVote behavior).  Robert P. had to do a bit of tap dancing to keep them off our backs.
 
Tyler
-----Original Message-----
From: Guy Lancaster <glanca@dieboldes.com>
To: Bug Tracking <bugtrack@dieboldes.com>
Date: Monday, August 23, 1999 1:26 PM
Subject: Re: GEMS 1.11.2 preference voting errors

  • A candidate and write-in selected in a vote for one race are returned as overvoted, even though the override write-in rule should effect the selection of the write-in only.

Is the write-in override rule broken or does this have to do with preference races?  If the former, submit another report with a minimal example (one race) and I will look into it.  If the latter, let me know.
  I thought that the override rule only applies to an override situation, namely the YES button is held while the ballot is processed.  Otherwise, the race is overvoted and therefore the overvote reject parameter applies.
 
  • If the first partisan race following the preference race is overvoted the race is returned as overvoted where a political party different from that of the party endorsing the partisan race is selected in the preference race.
This is very difficult to parse.  I think you mean:
Partisan races are rejected as overvoted even if they should not be counted because of party preference.
Right?  If so, this sounds like an AccuVote bug.  Guy, please take a look.
  I'll take this up directly with Nel and between us we'll follow up here.

                Guy