Chapter 5 — In–Person, In–Precinct Voting
A. Before the Polls Open
4. Examine All the Electronic Voting Equipment
- Before the polls open, an election judge will check the following:
- The election's identification data,
- The device's unit identification,
- The ballot's format identification,
- The contents of each active candidate register by office and of each active public question register showing that they contain all zero votes,
- All ballot fields that can be used to invoke special voting options,
- And other information needed to ensure the readiness of the equipment and to accommodate administrative reporting requirements.
- The judges must also check to be sure that the totals are all zeros in the counting columns and in the public counter affixed to the voting devices.
The poll watcher will observe these checks.
In addition, the poll watcher will check the serial number or unit identification to make sure the electronic voting equipment has already passed public testing.
If the serial number or unit identification is not visible, the poll watcher will ask assistance of the election judge in determining the serial number or unit identification.
If a seal is used on the electronic voting equipment being examined, the poll watcher is also to check the seal on the electronic voting equipment to see that the seal is affixed and not broken.
If the seal is not visible, the poll watcher will ask assistance of the election judge to locate the seal.
The poll watcher will further check that the metal seal actually was sealed so as to prevent movement of the voting machine mechanism without first breaking the seal.
The poll watcher will check the serial number or unit identification against the number on the seal to see that they correspond.
Challenging Electronic Voting Equipment & Informing the Poll Watcher Team
IF the poll watching team gave the poll watcher a specific serial number or unit identification and seal number to check for that precinct, the poll watcher will text to the poll watching team that the numbers do or do not correspond.
If, on the other hand, the poll watcher was given a list of serial number or unit identifications and their corresponding seal numbers, the poll watcher will text to the poll watching team which machine is used in the precinct.
If the equipment is not on the list of equipment that has passed public testing, the poll watcher should challenge the equipment with the election judges. The poll watcher should then refer the information to the poll watcher team immediately, so that the poll watcher team can decide if further action will be taken.
An objection which can take equipment out of service should be made before the polls open. If that is not possible, as close to the opening of the polls as possible.