System of voting results aggregation and System of voting results aggregation and analyses and application in election of Republic of Latvia Arnis Cimdars, Chairman The Central Election Commission of Latvia
C Current situation t it ti Republic of Latvia • • • • •
Proportional election principle Proportional election principle 1.5 million voters 5 regions p p 13 political parties 100 deputies in Parliament (Saeima)
Election ballots •
Ratings of candidates Ratings of candidates
Counting • • • • •
Turnout
1.5 million
100 deputies Valid ballot envelopes Valid ballot papers Ballot papers for candidate list Altered, unaltered ballot papers Plus and cross out marks Result in polling station
Multi‐stage 13 parties Result in districts, cities 1 400 400 – 1 500 data fields 500 data fields 4 levels of result aggregation (polling station, district/city, region, state) Result in regions ≤ 12 hours in polling station (avg. 1 500 ballots) y ( ) ≤ 21 days in total (whole state) Result esu t in state (tota (total))
Obj ti Objective 1. Reduce votes counting time • •
from 12 to 3 hours per polling station from 12 to 3 hours per polling station from 21 to 1 day in total (whole state)
2. Automate and simplify counting process • • •
Automation of voting ballots sorting and counting Automation of voting ballots sorting and counting Automation of 1 400 – 1 500 protocols data fields filling Automation of results aggregation in online mode (polling stations > districts/cities > regions > state)
3. Maintain the public trust •
Voters should trust to the information system
C diti Conditions 1. Preserve voter habits Making voters to change the voting habits is error prone Making voters to change the voting habits is error prone
2. System must be equipment‐flexible System must be designed to work with widespread and popular equipment System must work with in local municipality based polling station owned equipment System must work with in local municipality based polling station owned equipment
3. System should not violate election law regulations
Prerequisites P i it 1. Optimization of printed ballots • •
Adjust ballot layout to scanning and computer processing Adjust ballot layout to scanning and computer processing Add anchors and other technical marks
2. Polling stations facilities • • • •
Computer ADF enabled scanner (with automatic document feeder) Projector or extra large size display Printer
3. General test • • •
Simulation of counting process using the system Fully‐functional Fully functional system use with test data system use with test data Cover all stages of counting process
S t System Principles of operation
1. Scanning
2. Sorting
3. Checking
4. Printing
5. Sending
S t System Principles of operation Brief insight Brief insight
S t System Principles of operation Brief insight Brief insight Results • • • • •
Scanning of ballots: Sorting by political parties: Checking of voters marks: Completing protocols: Data sending: Data sending:
1 sec per ballot 0.04 sec per ballot 5.4 sec per ballot 0 sec 3 sec 3 sec
B Benefits fit 1. Efficiency and economy • • •
4 times in poling station (from 12h to 3h) 4 times in poling station (from 12h to 3h) 21 times in total (from 21d to 1d) Cost‐effective (high ROI)
2 Clearness 2. •
Station Commission, Observers, Central Election Commission
3. Transparency •
Voters Candidates Voters, Candidates
4. Analytics •
Minimal human‐factor
5. High accuracy •
Unambiguous decisions
6. Optimal ballot 7. Easy to use
R d Roadmap 1. 2 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Automated ballot layout generation and distribution (2013.06.01) Multi user mode in scope of polling station (2013.06.01) Multi‐user mode in scope of polling station (2013 06 01) Automated voters marks recognition Communication amongst hierarchical users Financial reports centralizing and automation Voters counting ‐ from 50 minutes ‐ 5 minutes (2013.06.01)
voter list 2013
Q ti ? Questions?Â
Thank You!