A new fraud proof voting system - what do you think? (votes, thought)

[james112]

Transparent Ballot Voting System v1.0
created by James112 11/20/2020
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

Introduction

I have created a nearly fraud proof voting system. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. That is what this thread is about. I believe together we can create a nearly fraud proof voting system that the public will trust and have total confidence in. It's not for sale. I offer it free to the public. It can be used if any county wants to use it. Try and punch holes in it- constructive criticism is welcome. Flash pan comments are not.

We need a better voting system with a way for the public to see for themselves each vote cast and each vote count was accurate. And prove that final tallies are 100% accurate. But also eliminate voting fraud and irregularity. Imagine a voting system like that. Can it be done? I think so.

To do this I think we have to cast votes in person, in public, and record every vote on video. Video will provide a 'visual audit trail' of each ballot, available to the public for review. It will provide visual proof of no irregularity with voting and counting. And proof that only the ballots cast in the precinct room are the only source of votes tallied for precinct totals.

Video technology has advanced to the point where this is now possible.This is something like a live camera at a bank teller or ATM. You are captured making a transaction. But also on video is the transaction itself- the ballot. That's what we've never done in conventional voting before. Now with the ease of capturing and recording HD video that we have today, it's possible.

A key part of the system is allowing the public inside the precinct room to watch/video/live stream anything. Up to venue capacity. Even provide seating. All eyes and poll watcher cameras will be on the ballot box and counting table- the only place a vote can be cast and tallied.

The ballot box and counting table become the heart of the precinct room. With video cameras in the room, on the ballot box, from poll watchers and the public, multiple sources of video proof will make it near impossible to rig voting. Some will try. They will fail. I think this is the most fraud proof voting system possible. The only thing that might rig it is to hypnotize the public that's watching.

In this system I wanted to employ the most conventional method of casting a ballot and counting votes, so nothing new has to be learned: Mark a ballot. Drop it into the box. Count each ballot one by one. That's it. As simple as possible. Nothing new or complex for the voter- like operating a voting screen. What's new in this system is capturing this conventional voting on video in a way that proves integrity of the voting. This requires certain procedures be followed on camera. This system describes those procedures.



HOW IT WORKS QUICK SUMMARY
This example is for voting for president only. A President Election Day

Precincts and Ballots
Voting takes place in person only at a precinct. Absentee mail-in is also possible (info in the full details)

Each precinct has one large clear ballot box and a counting table next to it. The ballot box has a card holder on top. A live recording HD video camera is always on and focused on the ballot box and when counting votes, on the vote counting table. A large room screen (the 'big screen') displays what the camera sees so the public can easily watch all the voting and counting- in close detail. They will see ballots close up as they are counted.

As expected, voter's are validated at sign-in, showing their voter registration card, photo ID and proof of residence.

The simple President Ballot is a single sheet of paper 8"x11" with large font of each candidate to mark your vote with any writing device. In your own handwriting you can write something unique on your ballot- a scribble, word, phrase, etc. This will allow you to identify your ballot later in the precinct video (after voting is over)

At the Ballot Drop Box
At the ballot box the voter puts their voter registration card on the ballot box card holder. A poll worker places a vote receipt card on the same card holder. The vote receipt card has a numeric index number starting at 1 and up to show which ballot voter you are. It keeps count of how many ballots have been cast into the box.

With the two cards on the card holder the voter can then drop their ballot into the box. The ballot can be folded once to keep it secret. But they fall into a random plie in the box. The HD camera captures: the voter, the voter's registration card, the vote receipt card, and voter dropping the ballot into the box.

The voter takes both cards and must sign out to have their registration database updated showing they voted at this election/precinct. This prevents them from voting again.

Counting Votes
Now the precinct camera on the ballot box pans to focus on the counting table. A poll counter holds up each ballot one at a time (random order from the ballot box) to the camera. The public can see the ballot very clearly on the large room screen. Poll counter will announce the candidate with the mark.

An index sticker (starting at 1 and up) is placed on the ballot. The ballot is then placed in the candidate's basket and a button is pushed on a keyboard that adds +1 to the candidate's tally. The tally is shown on a display screen on the counting table. The public can watch the tally go up +1 in real time for each ballot counted, from first, #1 to last.

Claiming an Irregularity
The poll watchers and public in attendance can stop the voting and counting at any time if they see an irregularity by pushing a red stop button. This will stop the voting process. The person who stops the voting then must say what irregularity they saw, and at what index number of vote casting or counting. Poll workers may then playback the camera video to check. Everyone watches the playback on the big screen to see if the video proves the claim true or false.

Video Proof Online
When voting and counting is over the precinct videos are posted online. Anyone can watch to confirm that X number of ballots reported cast is accurate. And watch that each candidate vote on each ballot was counted accurately one by one, as reported. Every ballot count is on video and very ballot has an index sticker, that makes it easy to locate any ballot on video. Precinct video can be watched at fast speed and still see ballots are counted accurately, one by one. Poll watchers will always watch and confirm every ballot vote count in precinct videos.

Find Your Ballot Cast And Tallied
Watch the video at fast speed to find yourself on the video dropping your ballot into the box. To find yourself quickly on the video look at the Ballot Index Number on your Vote Receipt Card and fast forward to your index number. There you are dropping your ballot. If you wrote something on your ballot like a number, phrase, scribble, you can then identify your ballot when it's shown on camera at the counting table. This proves that your vote added +1 to the candidate tally.

With this system video proves that total of ballots reported cast is verifiable and accurate. That each ballot was counted accurately and no extra ballots were added or any ballots not counted. Everyone can watch video proof online of every vote cast and counted. Poll watchers and the public also have their videos as further proof that voting had no irregularities. It's indisputable.

Suggestions to improve this system and make it better/faster are welcome.


More detailed full summary at:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

[Nov3]

based on your well thought out process to implement-
So basically you can figure out WHO someone voted for just off the tally #
Sorry but I believe in privacy for who I chose to cast my vote for. It may be the Poll workers obligation to count and or see that vote, but its not for the average Joe to view and then data mine.

So to make voting fair, you are going to have all the folks that have utilized the mail in ballot /overseas military now re-organize their system to appease this fraud proof system?

I think you would have to get 50 state legislative to agree to a one size fits all. Gosh help those in ALaska that take two hours by boat to find a precinct. There is no way my aunt is going to risk driving to a precinct in her health condition to cast her vote.

Why are you having every joe stop the count- good lordy that right there sets up a red flag. Someone could just delay the right to vote by constantly challenging "what they perceived" was a flaw. We already got conspiracy theorist out there voting and conjuring up false allegations, you are just giving them another tool to halt the open system to vote.

Sorry I know you are serious in finding a fool proof method. Its just so many laws in place by states that would not pass this as the standard for each state.

DNA and Finger Print to REGISTER and cast. Thats all I got.....

[jjrose]

Like I said in another thread about changing the method of voting. If each person took 1 minute to process your method would take over 2.5 million hours to process everyone. Now, some small counties it could go smoothly enough, but in a city that has millions of people? It could take months to get everyone through one by one unless you are planning greatly expanding the number of voting locations, which means lots of added money.

Add to that your big red button will add even more time to the whole thing. We will be doing nothing all year every year but elections.

[james112]

Originally Posted by Nov3

based on your well thought out process to implement-
So basically you can figure out WHO someone voted for just off the tally #

Sorry but I believe in privacy for who I chose to cast my vote for. It may be the Poll workers obligation to count and or see that vote, but its not for the average Joe to view and then data mine.

Thanks for commenting.

Nope. Your ballot is secret. The tally# does not identify the ballot. It only counts how many people dropped a ballot into the box. When you drop a folded ballot into the ballot box the ballot drop tally# is simply the count of your place in line. Your folded ballot (secret) will fall into the large pile of ballots randomly. And be removed from the pile randomly. Your ballot is always kept secret. Your vote is kept secret. When ballots are counted on the counting table, they come out of the box in random order. You do not sign your ballot.

If this isn't clear I will revise to make this very clear.

So to make voting fair, you are going to have all the folks that have utilized the mail in ballot /overseas military now re-organize their system to appease this fraud proof system?

Nothing to revise. A ballot for president only is a sheet of printer copy paper, 8"x11". When you mail it in you still have to include credentials like now. A folded ballot is removed from the mail in envelope at the ballot box. And then dropped in. So it's on camera.

I think you would have to get 50 state legislative to agree to a one size fits all.

I'm not saying this should be a national system. Every state does voting differently. This is just another way to cast/count ballots. More transparent. More verifiable. If one state adopts it, national news will demonstrate how effective it is and then other states will want to adopt it.

Gosh help those in ALaska that take two hours by boat to find a precinct. There is no way my aunt is going to risk driving to a precinct in her health condition to cast her vote.

Mail-ins are ok. There can be a Mail-In Table just before the ballot box to authenticate the ballot, and must be on camera. Then the mail-in is opened at the ballot box, on camera. The ballot remains secret. Who sent it in is not secret. When you watch the video online you can find and see your aunt's ballot being validated at the table! And watch as her ballot is dropped (secretly) by a surrogate poll worker into the ballot box! You can show it to her! Proof her vote counted! Right there on video!

Why are you having every joe stop the count- good lordy that right there sets up a red flag. Someone could just delay the right to vote by constantly challenging "what they perceived" was a flaw. We already got conspiracy theorist out there voting and conjuring up false allegations, you are just giving them another tool to halt the open system to vote.

This is something new and would have see that it works ok. Anyone abusing the stop vote process by claiming phony irregularities will be clear to everyone ELSE that's exactly what they are doing. Plus the person making obvious false claims to slow the vote counting are on live video and will be laughed at forever on video playback. Your claim best be true- you're on video. Maybe allow two claims per person.

Unlike all the false allegations we see today, this system proves if any irregularity claim has validity or not. If someone claims that the ballot had a vote for candidate R and then candidate's D tally went up +1, not candidate's R tally, the video can be played back to prove it or not. Video is the proof any claim is valid or not.

Sorry I know you are serious in finding a fool proof method. Its just so many laws in place by states that would not pass this as the standard for each state.

Well if my system was tested in one precinct, and shown to work, and public confidence and response was very favorable, the state would have to seriously consider it. What we have now in all states doesn't work when a vote margin is very thin. 1000 lost ballots found here or there- that matters in a thin margin. The current system falls apart. My system captures each ballot and vote on video. So a thin margin, even down to one vote, is provable as accurate.

DNA and Finger Print to REGISTER and cast. Thats all I got.....

My system can incorporate DNA/fingerprint. Good idea. But that's not sufficient. This only proves that you are who you are when you come to vote, but that's it. You can't put your fingerprint on the ballot, because it would no longer be secret. So no way to prove extra ballots were not sneaked in to the ballot pile, and no way to prove the counting machines were not hacked during voting. You MUST count ballots one by one as they are cast- this creates a running live tally total of ballots to the public from ballot one to the last. Rigging the count is impossible.

My system eliminates count fraud and human error. First ballots are not counted by a machine. They are counted by hand. Second, every ballot is dropped by a validated voter at the ballot box. We watch them drop ONE ballot. If they drop TWO ballots then push the stop all voting button.

[DenverBrian]

Or...we nominate candidates who respect the secret ballot and realize that if there is fraud, it's a minuscule portion of total vote count that never impacts the determination of the winner.

[metoque]

A new system should be blockchain-based. The Trump administration already filed for a patent on such a system, so it's likely to be deployed in his 2nd term once this fraudulent mess is behind us.

[jjrose]

Originally Posted by metoque

A new system should be blockchain-based. The Trump administration already filed for a patent on such a system, so it's likely to be deployed in his 2nd term once this fraudulent mess is behind us.

Well, since the federal government can not decide what system any state uses I highly doubt it woud get very far. As to your assertion that Trump will have a second term HAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHHAAA

[james112]

Originally Posted by jjrose

Like I said in another thread about changing the method of voting. If each person took 1 minute to process your method would take over 2.5 million hours to process everyone. Now, some small counties it could go smoothly enough, but in a city that has millions of people? It could take months to get everyone through one by one unless you are planning greatly expanding the number of voting locations, which means lots of added money.

Add to that your big red button will add even more time to the whole thing. We will be doing nothing all year every year but elections.

Very valid points. That's why I want to improve it and make it faster for larger counties. For example, opening the ballot and counting the vote could be started after maybe 30 ballots have dropped into the box, so counting is done almost simultaneous with ballot box dropping. That would cut the time in half. If more precincts are needed then ok. Most rural precincts have typically 1000-2000 ballots. A large precinct can have more then one ballot box/counting table/camera in my system but it's better to have more precincts. The goal in my system is to have proof that the precinct final vote tallies can be proven to the public. Using video capture of each ballot cast and counted. Each precinct must do that. Making that process faster is ok.

Another option to speed up vote counting is to maybe have a machine that does what the poll worker does- shows it to the camera and puts an index sticker on it, and places it in the right candidate basket. The machine does that but NOT count. The machine just handled the ballot, the poll worker still pushes the +1 tally button for the candidate voted for on the ballot.


As for the public pushing a stop button. This has never been tried. But if you stop the voting to make a claim of irregularity you are on video, maybe even live streamed.. You best be right because voting comes to a STOP and that will upset the public. If they play back the video and proves your claim is true, the vote tally is corrected, and you are a hero. ONE vote might win an election.

But if your claim is shown not true, you will be on video forever in the false-claims-hall-of-shame. If everyone in the public has conspired to abuse the claim process, the precinct superintendent can disallow claiming. And that will be on video to. Precincts that disallow claiming is something everyone in the county will want to see for themselves why the superintendent made that decision. That precinct could even draw national attention.

Thanks for your comment

[jjrose]

Originally Posted by james112

Very valid points. That's why I want to improve it and make it faster for larger counties. For example, opening the ballot and counting the vote could be started after maybe 30 ballots have dropped into the box, so counting is done almost simultaneous with ballot box dropping. That would cut the time in half. If more precincts are needed then ok. Most rural precincts have typically 1000-2000 ballots. A large precinct can have more then one ballot box/counting table/camera in my system but it's better to have more precincts. The goal in my system is to have proof that the precinct final vote tallies can be proven to the public. Using video capture of each ballot cast and counted. Each precinct must do that. Making that process faster is ok.

Another option to speed up vote counting is to maybe have a machine that does what the poll worker does- shows it to the camera and puts an index sticker on it, and places it in the right candidate basket. The machine does that but NOT count. The machine just handled the ballot, the poll worker still pushes the +1 tally button for the candidate voted for on the ballot.


As for the public pushing a stop button. This has never been tried. But if you stop the voting to make a claim of irregularity you are on video, maybe even live streamed.. You best be right because voting comes to a STOP and that will upset the public. If they play back the video and proves your claim is true, the vote tally is corrected, and you are a hero. ONE vote might win an election.

But if your claim is shown not true, you will be on video forever in the false-claims-hall-of-shame. If everyone in the public has conspired to abuse the claim process, the precinct superintendent can disallow claiming. And that will be on video to. Precincts that disallow claiming is something everyone in the county will want to see for themselves why the superintendent made that decision. That precinct could even draw national attention.

Thanks for your comment

With over 160M people voting this election and unproven claims of fraud all over that are running rampant plus many frivolous lawsuits do you really think that pissing off the public will be a concern to those that don't want the election to continue? There are affidavits in court from people who claimed that someone looked at them funny. Pushing a button and stopping an election is nothing.

[james112]

To clarify, when I said this in my OP:

Video technology has advanced to the point where this is now possible.This is something like a live camera at a bank teller or ATM. You are captured making a transaction. But also on video is the transaction itself- the ballot. That's what we've never done in conventional voting before. Now with the ease of capturing and recording HD video that we have today, it's possible.

The ballot is seen on video in my system only after they have been removed from the ballot box. Ballots fall folded and kept secret into a pile of ballots in random order in the box, and are shaken up before being removed. So that when a ballot is shown on camera to the public at the counting table- it's impossible to know who the voter was.

I hope to make a video to show it all works. The public is going to be able to see proof that their ballot was cast- see yourself in the video at the ballot box. And proof that your ballot was counted accurately- find your ballot on camera at the counting table- did they count your vote? You'll see if they did. Your ballot should have added +1 to your candidate.

Since your ballot shown on camera has no way to identify it as yours because it's secret (no sig, reg#, etc) you can write, scribble something on it in your own handwriting that no one else would have done. Draw a big star at the bottom left corner. Fast forward the video. You can see about 200/minute. Keep an eye on the bottom left corner. Your ballot will be in the video somewhere. When you find it, the poll worker has put an index sticker on it.

If you see in the video they counted your vote wrong, contact election officials and make a claim of irregularity and give them the index#. Your claim is also online at the results web site- and you are identified when you make a claim, and can post video snap shot to prove your claim. The public can see your claim. It's now up to officials to fix the official tally. They will be under public eye, so it's best they have a reputation for fixing voting irregularities. Because now voting irregularities can be proven.