Ballot Marking Devices

AVANTE patented verifiable voting solutions with proven accuracy are configured with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware of computers, printers, and document imaging scanners with flexibility to accommodate election and voting methods of:

AVANTE COTS-BMD (Ballot Marking Device) with total “commercial-off-the-shelf” laptop computers, laser printers and image scanners provides voice assistance and a scrolling display ballot with modified keyboard for all other voters to achieve a highly efficient and cost effective voting solution with unparalleled security.

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AVANTE VOTE-TRAKKER® EVC308-COTS-BMD Automatic Ballot Marking Device

Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Configuration Provides Flexibility and Costs Effectiveness:

  • Total COTS with laptop computer, laser printer and “software independent” verification using document image scanner.
  • Voice-assistance with modified keyboard with proven accessibility for blind voters with or without other physical disabilities.
  • Electronic ballots may be counted when used in direct recording mode.
  • Voters submit machine-marked ballot in ballot box with lock-and-seal
  • Traditional voting using “view ballot” and “modified keyboard” is as effective and fast as more costly touch-screen voting
  • Accessible keyboards with raised keys for visually impaired voters with or without other physical limitations
  • Full-face printed and marked ballots in all alternate languages
  • EAC 2005 and 2007 VVSG compliance ready for “software-independence” verification using 2-D PDF-417 barcodes.

100% “Help America Vote Act” Accessibilities:

All combinations of visual and/or physical accessibilities:

  • Voice assistance with keyboard navigation for optimized speed of voting
  • Voice assistance with raised functional keys for navigation, selection, and casting of vote
  • Voice assistance with use of Sip-Puff and other binary devices
  • View and vote with scrolling ballot box or touch-screen for optimum speed
  • View and use Sip-Puff and other binary devices

Synthesized and/or recorded voices in any combinations:

  • Synthesized voices (instructions and contests) in all languages
  • Synthesized and recorded voices combination (instructions and contests) in all languages
  • Recorded voices (instructions and contests) in all languages

Additional Election Codes Compliance:

  • Systems can be set to count or not to count the electronic portion of the ballots depending on local jurisdiction.

Alerts with sound buzzer:

  • In use Available System malfunction

Unitary Voter Access Card Management:

  • Eliminates the need to learn the use of the computer by poll workers
  • Internal backup battery (self-contained and self-sufficient UPS)
  • Randomly generated unique ballot access identifier for unparalleled security management

AVANTE Ballot Marking Device may also be configured with COTS touch-screen presents ballots.

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AVANTE upon special request also provides an integrated precinct-based optical scan solution with that of “ballot marking device” to provide the required accessibility to voters with visual and/or physical disabilities.

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These patented solutions are developed and proven with the most stringent accuracy and integrity requirements in mind to accommodate the spectrum of complex elections in USA, South America and others as well as more common and simpler parliamentary and presidential elections in Canada, Europe, Africa and Asia.

AVANTE Ballot Marking Device

The first system to produce true “software independent” or “system independent” verification for visually impaired voters using PDF-417 2-D barcode

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AVANTE’s Ballot Marking Device (BMD) allows voters to accurately mark paper ballots using a 14.1″ Touch Screen Display or an accessible voting device such as Sip and Puff. Using BMD like devices to print and/or mark paper ballots is an AVANTE patented invention.

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Voters can view the ballot on the Touch Screen Display and make choices by touching the screen. Alternatively, voters can view the ballot and make selections using a specialized ADA-Keyboard with raised and tactile function keys, a Sip and Puff device, Rocker Paddles foot-switches, or other accessible switching devices.

ACCESSIBILITIES AND EASE-OF-USE
State/Federal RequirementAVANTE EVC308-SPR-BMD
Sighted and Typical Voters
  • Full Accessibility
  • Paging screen with one contest per page or Full-Face Presentation of Ballot
  • On-Screen Full-Face or Paging Screen Presentation of Before Selection (Sample Printed Full-Face Paper Ballot)
  • Printed/marked paper ballot
Visual Impairments
  • Full Accessibility
  • Voice-assisted voting in all languages
  • Raised corner functional keys for selections, navigation, cast ballot
  • Key board and/or scrolling spelling for write-in
Physical Impairments
  • Full Accessibility
  • Sip-and-Puff; Rocker-Paddle; other Binary means
  • Raised corner functional keys for selections, navigations, cast ballot
  • Visual or voice-assisted voting
Visual and Physical Impairments
  • Full Accessibility
  • Visual or voice-assisted voting
  • Sip-and-Puff; Rocker-Paddle; other Binary means
  • Raised corner functional keys for selections, navigations, cast ballot
Alternate Languages for Sighted and Visually Impaired Voters
  • Full Accessibility as required
  • Spanish (Synthesized and/or recorded)
  • Chinese, Mandarin (Synthesized and/or recorded)
  • Chinese, Cantonese (Synthesized and/or recorded)
  • Korean (Synthesized and/or recorded)
  • Any other languages (Synthesized and/or recorded)
Software Independent Verification
  • 2007 VVSG
  • Machine readable 2-D PDF-417 open source and ISO based barcode of selections
BALLOT FLEXIBILITIES AND COSTS
State/Federal RequirementsAVANTE EVC308-SPR-BMD
Ballot Sizes
  • No special specifications Traditional availability: 8.5”x14”o 8.5”x18”
  • 8.5”x11” (Duplex)
  • 8.5”x14” (Duplex)
  • 11”x17” (Duplex)
  • 12”x18” (Duplex)
Ballot Paper
  • No special specifications Traditional requirements:  90-lb card stock or Special Paper
  • 24-28-lb with 90 or higher brightness copying paper (recommended)
  • 20-lb with 84 brightness (minimum)
Ballot Type
  • Single Ballot Sheet with Full-Face or Paging Screen Presentation for NYS Election Code
  • Some jurisdictions use “vertical” while others use “horizontal” candidate-selection presentation
  • No special Federal requirements
  • Single Ballot Sheet with Full-Face Presentation in either Horizontal or Vertical Candidate/Selection Presentation
Ballot Number Capacity
  • No special specification.
  • 750 Ballots (Typical voters)
  • 200 Ballots (For accessible voting)
  • Up to 850 Ballots
Ballot Preparation
  • No special specification. Typical:
    • All ballot styles must be pre-printed
    • Limitation as to number of ballot styles
  • Print and mark ballots as needed.
  • No need for pre-printed ballot.
  • No limit of ballot styles
Typical Ballot Costs
  • >$0.90 Per Ballot Sheets with Both Sides Printed (8.5”x18”, 90-lb card stock)
  • $0.30 Per Ballot Sheet with Both Sides Printed (11”x17”, 24-lb Paper)

AVANTE’s BMDs meet and exceed ADA standards. The system was used throughout New York State during the 2006 and 2007 Statewide and County Elections. The system was extremely versatile. It handled more than 30,000 ballot styles and voting accessibility for blind, quadriplegic, and other disabled voters. Ballots were presented at the voters option in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, or English. AVANTE’s BMD received high praises from NYC and all other counties that used it in New York State.

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AVANTE BMD is designed to complement the precinct-based optical scan system and central count absentee including “all mail” paper balloting systems. Paper ballots printed and marked by the BMD are in exactly the same format as that of the absentee ballots and precinct-based ballots.

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(US Patents: 7,635,088; 7,635,087; 7,614,553; 6,892,944; 7,036,730; 7,077,313; 7,422,150; 7,431,209; 6,973,581; 7,197,167; and pending patents: 11/709,449; and others)

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