The Voting

Authority

Card

The Voting

Authority Card

Author:

Marie Garber

Consultant in Election Administration

10201 Grosvenor Place, #310

Rockville, Maryland 20852-4606

Managed and Edited by:

William C. Kimberling

National Clearinghouse on Election Administration

Published by:

National Clearinghouse on Election Administration

Federal Election Commission

Washington, D.C. 20463

May 1992
Introduction by the

Clearinghouse

This report is the first of a new series on

Innovations in Election Administration being

published by the FEC's National Clearinghouse

on Election Administration.

The purpose of this series is to acquaint State

and local election officials with innovative election procedures and technologies that have been

successfully implemented by their colleagues

around the country.

Our reports on these innovations do not

necessarily constitute an endorsement by

the Federal Election Commission either of

the procedures described or of the vendors

or suppliers that might be listed within the

report. Moreover, the views and opinions

expressed in these reports are those of the

author and are not necessarily shared by

the Federal Election Commission or any

division thereof.

We welcome your comments on these reports

as well as any suggestions you may have for

additional topics. You may mail these to us at:

The National Clearinghouse on

Election Administration

Federal Election Commission

999 E. Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20463

or else call us

toll free on 800/424-9530 or

direct on 202/219-3670.

n
The Voting

Authority Card

The Voting Authority Card (VAC) is a device

used throughout the State of Maryland to accomplish a number of purposes in election administration. Defined simply, it is a document issued to

a voter when he appears at the polls on election

day. Issuance of the card is part of the process of

checking the voter in, when the pollworkers ascertain that the person who appears to vote is

indeed entitled to vote. It also serves other

purposes during the voting hours, and in the

postelection period.

The VAC has a long history in the State, required by the election law since early in this

century when paper ballot voting gave way to the

mechanical lever voting machine. Its original

function was limited: it was a ticket of admission

to the voting machine, issued by the pollworker

who confirmed the voter's qualification. The

voter was not permitted to enter the machine and

cast his ballot unless he presented a correctly

filled out VAC to the pollworker attending the

machine.

The functions of the VAC expanded as voting

practices changed. First the old ledgers in which

the names of voters were recorded were replaced

with original voter registration records filed in

loose leaf binders, each such record having been

signed by the voter when he registered. Signature comparison was introduced to confirm identity — an election day signature on the VAC

matched against the signature on the original

record. Later, the poll book came into use, in

which a pollworker recorded on numbered lines

the names of all voters in sequence as they appeared. For each voter, the poll book number was

also recorded on the VAC as part of the documentation of the election, used in the postelection

audit to reconcile the poll books, VACs, and the

voter check-offs on the binder cards

Maryland election law still requires that the

VAC be used, regardless of the voting system

employed — whether lever machine, punchcard,

or optically scanned ballots (paper ballots are no

longer used in the State). It should be noted that

while use of a "voting authority card" is mandatory, the document is not defined in law and the

only requirement for its use is that that the voter

must sign the card. But a hint of what computerization was to bring to the VAC system appeared

in a 1969 amendment to the election law which

provides that the VAC may be "electronically

reproduced" and "preprinted" with specific data

for each voter

Law and tradition permit considerable autonomy in election administration in the 24

Maryland counties, and the counties have taken

full advantage of that grant of independence as

they have exploited computer technology to expand the uses of the VAC substantially beyond

what is required by law. All but one use a

computer-produced, preprinted card which is

machine-read after election, but there are many

variations in content, procedures, and technology

employed. (The one exception, Baltimore City,

still uses the simple, manual VAC, but the computerized voter list is printed on card stock and

one portion of the page, on which the check-off

mark is made, is torn off after election and pro-
cessed through an optical reader to update the

voter history.)

How the Voting Authority

Card Works

At its fullest development, the Voting Authority Card generated for each voter includes the

following:

• The form itself, usually press-printed in

quantity, ordered from a forms vendor:

l 1 Designated spaces in which voter data will be

computer-printed.

! 1 Designated blank blocks for making changes

in preprinted data pertaining to the voter.

LI Designated spaces for signature of voter,

ballot stub and/or poll book number, and

initials of issuing pollworker.

• Name of local election agency.

Use of a poll book is not required by law, and some

counties opt not to use it.

• Computer-printed on the form for each

voter:

[1 Precinct number

! 1 Voter identification number (ID).

If the card is read optically, the ID will be

printed either (1) in OCR characters, or (2) as a

bar code — as well as in ordinary type face.

If the VAC is a punch card, the ID will be

punched as well as printed.

• Voter name

L ! Birth date

LI Party affiliation

f J Voter address, including apartment number

and zip code

Such a VAC is produced for each voter on the

eligible list for a particular election. Cards are

batched by precinct, and the VACs for a polling

place are kept in alphabetical order in a file box on

the pollworkers' table.

Maryland holds closed primary elections, with

the voter permitted to vote only in the primary of

the party with which he is registered. In some

counties, nonpartisan primary elections for school

board are held at the same time as the party

primary. Those registered with a party vote both

in their party contests and in the nonpartisan

contests; those not registered with a party vote

only in the nonpartisan contests.

VACs for a primary election indicate the party

affiliation of the voter in one or more ways: (1)

Use of colored stock, or a colored top edging on the

card, often the same color as the stock on which

the party's ballots are printed; if the VAC is to be

optically read, the background of the field that

will be read — bar code or OCR ID number — is

left white. (2) Printing party affiliation as part of

the voter data. (3) Printing an instruction to the

pollworker such as: ISSUE A DEMOCRATIC

BALLOT TO THIS VOTER.

The voter list for the polling place, a computer

printout, is generated from the same voter registry database as are the VACs, and contains much

the same data for each voter. When the voter

appears at the polls and announces his name, one

pollworker finds his name on the list of voters,

while another pollworker locates the corresponding VAC.

The voter is asked his month and day of birth,

which are compared to the preprinted birth date,

thus confirming his identity (Maryland no longer

requires signature comparison as part of voter

check-in.) He is then asked to verify his address;

and if there has been a change to a location other

than what is on file and printed on the card, the

voter makes the correction in the spaces provided

on the VAC. In the same way a change of name

or correction of other data can be indicated.

If the VAC for a voter is missing, but his name

is on the voter list, the pollworker makes up a

VAC for the voter, entering the appropriate data

from the voter list. Blank VACs are provided for
this purpose. In the postelection processing, such

handwritten VACs are individually entered to

update the voter history file.

Prince George's County VAC production software includes serially numbering the cards for

each precinct as they are printed and punched.

The totals for each precinct are compared with

those in the voter registration tabulation, and if

a precinct batch is found to be short the missing

VAC can be identified and a substitute produced.

The county election offices report, however,

that — contrary to their fears when they introduced computer-printed VACs —missing cards

are a rarity. One county with 300,000 voters

verified the entire VAC production and found

only four cards missing.

If a document (punchcard or mark sense)

ballot is used.

All document ballots in Maryland are computer-counted, some punchcards and some mark

sense. Manually counted paper ballots are no

longer used in the State, although the following

procedures would apply to manual paper balloL

systems.

Ballots have a perforated stub on one end,

which stubs are serially numbered. The

pollworker selects the next-numbered ballot of

the appropriate type for the voter, and provides a

secrecy shield with it. The same pollworker

records the ballot's stub number on the VAC,

initials it and gives it to the voter for signature.

Another pollworker checks off his name on the

list of voters. With check-in completed, the voter

takes his ballot, shield and VAC and goes to the

voting booth to mark the ballot.

After marking the ballot, the voter proceeds to

the ballot box, carrying both the marked ballot in

the shield with stub protruding and the VAC.

The pollworker attending the ballot box ascertains that the ballot number written on the VAC

matches the number on the ballot stub. The stub

is torn off and returned to the voter, and the ballot

deposited in the ballot box. The VAC is retained

by the pollworker.

If voting is by lever or direct recording

electronic machine.

The pollworker records the voter's name on a

numbered line in the poll book, records that

number on the VAC, initials the VAC, and gives

it to the voter for signature. Another pollworker

checks off his name on the voter list. The voter

then takes the signed VAC with him to the voting

machine.

The pollworker attending the machine reviews

the VAC to assure that it is signed by the voter

and initialed by the pollworker. In a primary

election, the pollworker sets the primary lever to

assure that the voter votes the correct ballot, and

activates the machine for use. Again, the VAC is

retained by the pollworker.

After the polls close, the VACs of all those who

voted are bundled together, labelled, and returned with other polling place materials to the

county election office.

In the postelection audit of the election records,

the voted VACs can be balanced with the names

checked off on the voters list, with names listed in

the poll book, and with either the ballot accounting reports or the public counter readings of the

machines — all of which will verify the correctness and authenticity of the election.

The next use of the voted VACs is for updating

voter histories on the registration database to

indicate which voters voted in the election. In

some instances, this function is accomplished by

manual keying of the ID number of each person

who voted; the software will record a vote for each

record so identified. Preferably, however, the

voted VACs are machine-read, on an automatic

feed reader, and the software records a vote in the

election on the record of each card read. The

latter method is both faster and more accurate,

and is used with punchcard and OCR VACs. Bar

codes were read either by scanning the bar code
on each card with a wand, or by passing each card

through a scanner; neither method used automatic feed and, therefore, is time-consuming.

Finally, those VACs which include changes of

data authorized by the voter are sorted out, to

serve as source documents for transactions to the

voter registration file which will effect the changes.

What the Voting Authority Card

Accomplishes During Voting

Hours

Checking the Voter In

Establishing that a person is qualified to vote,

in the polling place where he appears and at the

election held on that day, is basic in the conduct

of elections. It is the whole reason for having

voter registration, for collecting data on the citizen which identifies him, defines his residence

and his party affiliation choice. States have

devised requirements to establish that only the

qualified participate in the election. In Maryland, the VAC plays an important role in administering the process at the polls.

The voter signature, poll worker initials and

ballot stub/poll book number that are recorded on

the VAC confirm that the the admitting

pollworkers have found the person qualified to

vote. The completed VAC which he presents at

the ballot box, or at the voting machine, is his

"ticket" to cast a ballot.

Assuring That the Voter Votes the

Correct Ballot: Closed Primaries

and Split Precincts.

When a State conducts closed primary elections — as does Maryland — the voter can only

vote in the primary of the party with which he is

registered. Such a requirement sounds self-evident and easily complied with, to one who has not

administered elections. Party affiliation is listed

on the voter list; that should make it easy to issue

the ballot for that party. But in fact, pollworkers

under pressure often do make mistakes in issuing

ballots or in positioning the primary lever on the

voting machine; it is a Murphy's Law situation —

if something can go wrong, it will. Moreover,

some voters can be oblivious that the ballot before

them is not the correct one. Accordingly, it

behooves the election administrator to incorporate a "back up" procedure for assuring that the

correct ballot is issued, or activated on the voting

machine by correct positioning of the primary

lever.

Since the VAC is the "ticket" for voting, it is a

natural means to provide this assurance. Maryland counties accomplish that purpose in a number of ways:

• The VAC can be color-coded to the ballots or to

the background label on the primary lever.

Punchcard VACs can be printed on the same

color stock as the ballots for the voter's party.

For optically read VACs, the background of

the part of the VAC that will be scanned is left

white., but a colored band or strip can be

printed on the top edge of the card.

• Party affiliation is preprinted on the VAC.

• A specific instruction is printed: ISSUE A

REPUBLICAN BALLOT, or ISSUE A PINK

REPUBLICAN BALLOT — the latter if the

jurisdiction also uses distinctive colors for

ballots of various parties.

Sometimes providing the correct ballot is a

matter of residence location within the precinct.

For example, a "split precinct" results when the

boundary line between two taxing districts bisects a precinct. In such a precinct there will be

more than one ballot style for voters. The VAC

can be used to indicate what ballot style is correct

for the voter, using the same techniques to differentiate an electorate subdivided by ballot style as

are used to differentiate an electorate subdivided

by party.

Identifying and Recording Corrections to

be Made in the Voter Registration Record.

For a registered voter in Maryland, the only

grounds for challenging his right to vote, in the
polls on election day, is identity — that he is not

the person whose name he has given and which

name appears on the voter list. All other challenges to his qualifications must be made before

election day, in fact before the closing of registration four weeks before election.

So a person who comes to the polls, whose name

is on the voter list, and whose identity is not

questioned, not only may vote but also may make

changes in the particulars of his voter registration record. The law requires that he be asked if

the listed address is still his residence; if not, he

is obliged to supply the current address. The

address change does not affect his right to vote

that day. If the new location is within the county,

he will retain his registration status but the

address will be changed. If he has moved to

another Maryland county or to another State, the

registration will be cancelled and he must

reregister for voting from the new residence.

Changes of name likewise can be indicated, or

correction of errors of any kind in the data.

In most counties these changes are recorded on

the VAC, thus making it unnecessary to supply

other forms with the polling place supplies.

In a large county, with a mobile population,

thousands of changes to the voter registration

database are initiated by voters each election day

— most of them changes of address. Indeed,

because keeping voter registration records accurate is a major concern in election administration

in order to ensure integrity of the process, Maryland takes advantage of the face-to-face encounter with the voter to verify his vital data.

Preventing Chain Voting.

"Chain voting" is a scheme for corrupting elections which use a document ballot. It was a major

reason for the change from paper ballots to mechanical lever machines in large American electorates beginning at the turn of the century.

This particular fraud is perpetrated by a campaign worker who gives a voter an already marked

ballot before he goes into the polling place. The

voter conceals the marked ballot while he checks

in, but once in the privacy of the voting booth he

switches it for the blank ballot he was issued by

the pollworkers, emerges from the booth and

casts the marked ballot. When he leaves the

building, he gives the blank ballot to the campaign worker who will subsequently mark it and

pass it on to another voter. Thus the "chain" is

kept in operation, and votes cast by the links in

the chain reflect the position of the campaign

worker, not the free will of the voters.

Preventing chain voting requires a method for

assuring that the voter casts the ballot he was

issued by the polling place staff. In Maryland, the

VAC plays a vital role in such prevention. Ballots

must have a perforated, serially numbered stub.

At ballot issuance, the stub number is recorded on

the VAC. When the voter comes to the ballot box,

his voted ballot in a shield from which the stub

protrudes, the pollworker compares the number

on the VAC with the stub number. After confirming that the numbers are identical and before the

ballot is placed in the ballot box, the stub is torn

off and returned to the voter for his disposition —

usually in a conveniently placed trash basket.

Thus the procedure ensures that the voter casts

the ballot he was issued, while secrecy of the

ballot is maintained by removal of the numbered

stub before it is cast.

Determining How Many People

Have Voted at Intervals During

Election Day.

VACs of those who vote are collected either at

the voting machine or at the ballot box station.

They may be stored in a box, or they may be hung

on a hook or placed on a spindle through a hole in

the short end of the card. Pollworkers are instructed to batch the VACs as they accumulate,

usually by 50s, so that a count can readily be

made of the number of people who have voted at

any particular time. For a primary election,

VACs for the parties, distinctively identified, are

accumulated separately so a count can be given

for each party.
The periodic count is of interest to media and to

campaigns, who can then make judgments regarding turnout. In addition, the election office

often keeps a year to year record of the traffic flow

through the polling places.

What the Voting Authority Card

Accomplishes After the Election

Auditing

In a number of ways, the VAC is essential to the

election audit, which supports the accuracy and

integrity of the result:

• For "balancing the books", the number of

people who voted should equal the number of

ballots cast. Thus the names checked off on

the voter list should equal the number of

voted VACs and also the number of ballots

cast (or total voters on machine public

counters); if poll books are used, the total

number of names listed also should correspond.

• The VAC documents that the voter was

qualified, and which pollworker checked him

in. If there is a problem with the quality of

the work product (e. g., voters with signed

VACs, but not checked off on the list), remedial pollworker training can be targeted.

• The voter signature and the pollworker identification may be needed in an official investigation or in a court of law.

Updating Voter History

Following each election, the VACs of those who

voted are source documents for updating the

voter history field of each voter's record. In some

counties the update is done by manual entry from

each VAC, or by scanning the bar code on each

VAC with a wand; the program then will credit

the record with voting in that election. Preferably, however, VACs are machine-read, by automatic feed, thus considerably reducing the time

and labor involved and assuring greater accuracy.

Voter turnout reports produced from the voter

registration database can be more complete than

those based on ballots cast by the vote-tallying

program. Tying voter history to the voter registration record means that voters can be categorized by party, by gender, by age, by length of

registration, or by any other data items in the

registration record — thus facilitating analysis of

the turnout data to ascertain the effect of various

factors on electoral participation. Such classification is impossible when ballots are the basis for

turnout tabulation, since they do not reveal the

characteristics of the one who cast each ballot.

An equally important use for the voter history

database is the capability it provides for administering the Maryland requirement for cancelling

the registration of one who has not voted for five

years. (Most states have such a requirement,

although the nonvoting period varies.) From the

voter history data on file, a program can identify

those voters who have been registered for at least

five years and have not voted in the most recent

five year period, can produce either mailing labels or mail-ready notices, as well as the appropriate reports to document the activity associated

with the purge. Before computerization, enforcing the failure-to-vote provision was a laborintensive, error-prone, mind-numbing job, which

involved manual review of every original voter

registration record, removing those who had been

in the file for the last five years but had not been

checked off for voting in that time, followed by

manual production of an envelope or mailing

label for each which would be used for mailing a

notification.

Correcting Voter Registration Records

After auditing the election and updating the

voter history file, those VACs on which changes

and corrections have been recorded serve as source

documents for updating the file. The ID number

which is used to access the individual records is

available for reference; the changes to be effected

are in designated blocks; and the voter's signa6
ture (which is required by Maryland law in order

for personal data changes to be made) is on the

source document.

With all changes to voter registration records,

whether ordered by the voter or initiated by the

election office, confirmation of the change is sent

to the voter by first class mail.

VACs of those who did not vote usually are

discarded soon after the election.

Once the voted VACs have served their purpose for the election, they are stored for future

reference for a period of time which corresponds

with the State and county records retention policy.

Factors which affect that policy include: period

for contesting an election result; federal requirements relating to preservation of materials used

in elections to federal office; need to document the

purge of voters who fail to vote for five years; need

to document changes to the record ordered by the

voter.

Advantages and Disadvantages

of the VAC

The Voting Authority Card is exceedingly

popular with Maryland election officials. Without exception, they report that they would not

discontinue its use even if the law did not require

it. As its advantages, they cite labor saving and

therefore cost benefits; accuracy enhancement,

both in the polling place operation and in

postelection processes; and combining so many

election administration tasks in a single document. They particularly expressed satisfaction to

be relieved of the exacting, tedious job of identifying nonvoters from original voter registration

records, and manually producing the mail notices

to go to them.

Pressed for deeper assessment, however, they

admit there are some minuses in the use of

computerized VACs. Some of these are being

solved with advances in technology.

• Preparing for the election, the voter registration records must be printed twice — once for

the voter list, and once to produce VACs.

Printing with the impact line printer that

long has been the mainstay for producing

hard copy in a computer facility is the lengthiest of computer operations. In a large jurisdiction these two jobs take a very long time,

with round-the-clock operation. Moving to a

high speed laser printer, if available, could

shorten printing time.

Base forms can be expensive. They are pressprinted with the format, and sometimes also

prenumbered, prepunched, pin hole edged for

continuous feed, and perforated for separation.

Again, laser printing technology may offer an

attractive option. One Maryland county is

considering a change in its VAC production

where the VAC would be printed entirely by

the laser printer, both the basic form and the

entries for the voter. It would use letter-size

stock, 8-1/2" x 11", on which VACs are printed

three to a page. A stack of pages would be

automatically sliced into three parts with a

guillotine cutter, resulting in finished cards

that are 8-1/2" X 3-1/3", read horizontally.

If continuous forms are used, they must be

burst in a process that splits the cards apart

and also removes the pin feed edging. The job

is time-consuming, and has to be watched

carefully so cards stack in sequence and are

not damaged in the machine.

Punchcard VACs users are having increasing

difficulty in obtaining and maintaining card

readers. Punchcards are no longer used as

data input for computers, and the machines

that punch them and the readers that interpret them are not on the market. If the

jurisdiction uses a punchcard voting system

— and many still do — they have card readers, and maintain them, for ballot-counting;

the same equipment can be used to read

VACs. If card reading capability is not available, the jurisdiction would be advised to opt

for either OCR or bar coding. OCR can be

machine-read with automatic feed, either in-
house or by contract to a bank. Bar codes, at

this stage of development of the technology,

are read either with a wand or by insertion of

each document into a scanner; no automatic

feed reading is available. Accordingly, a large

jurisdiction, with tens or hundreds of thousands of voters, could find the task of

postelection reading unacceptably slow. One

jurisdiction with 300,000 voters, where the

file is updated after election by passing a

wand over the ID number of each person who

voted, finds that the job takes a week, with

five persons working at all times. By contrast,

a jurisdiction with 400,000 voters reads all of

its punchcard VACs in one day.

New Trends in VAC Systems

in Maryland

The first computerized VACs in Maryland were

introduced in Montgomery County in the late

1960's, as part of the automation of the voter

registration system. From the beginning, it was

intended that the VAC would serve as many

purposes as possible, eliminating manual tasks

and making it possible to accomplish certain

things that could not be done manually. The

planners were foresighted, because in terms of

the multiple uses of the VAC, it is still as advanced as any alternative technique.

But Montgomery's computer technology —

based on punchcards — is far from advanced.

When the system was designed, the established

method for data input from documents was

punchcards. Optical reading was unknown in

local government computer rooms. Moreover, the

county did not have equipment that would simultaneously punch and print cards. For those

reasons the system uses continuous forms which

contain preprinted and prepunched serial numbers, and voter data is printed on the forms by the

line printer. During the process a suspense file is

created which links the serial number of the VAC

to the voter ID number. After the election, cards

of those who voted at the polls are read to tape

(using the ballot card readers); the tape is sent to

the county computer facility, sorted by card sequence number, and matched to the suspense file

in order to obtain the ID number of the voter. The

voter's record is then updated with the appropriate information identifying the election type.

(Voter history for an absentee voter is updated

on-line through the terminals when the ballot is

returned.)

The next punchcard system was developed in

Prince George's County, where individual 80-

column cards, press-printed as the VAC form, are

used. The requisite election and voter data are

simultaneously punched and computer-printed

using an IBM 3505/3525 card reader/card punch.

This design eliminated the expense of pre-numbered (punch and print) stock, the suspense file in

processing, and the time and travail of bursting.

But at this time it still poses the problem of the

diminishing, even disappearing, availability of

card reader equipment, and Prince George's is

planning a conversion to bar coded, optically read

VACs.

The State Board of Elections (SABEL) developed a computerized VAC system in 1973. (The

State Board maintains the voter registry for 14

small Maryland counties, 300,000 voters total,

serviced through the State's central data processing facility.) Because the State used OCR technology for the administration of income tax

records, that technology was used for VACs as

well. Recently, however, SABEL was notified

that the data processing department will no longer

have OCR capability, and SABEL is now planning a conversion to bar coded, optically scanned

VACs.

Baltimore County used punchcard VACs for

years, sending them to the nearby Baltimore City

computer facility for reading. Notified recently

that the city is abandoning its card reading unit,

the county election office is converting to optical

scanning technology. The VACs will be laserprinted with OCR identifiers by the county's own

print shop, and will be sent out to a bank for

reading

8
Installing a Voting Authority

Card System

Jurisdictions that choose to develop and install

a VAC system have a number of choices to make

early in the program planning, in order that the

VAC can be exploited to serve as many purposes

as possible.

To produce voter turnout reports based on the

number of persons who voted and to computerize

the purge of nonvoters, the individual voter registration record must include a voter history field,

which is updated following each election. The

period for which voter history is maintained should

be considered: perpetual? most recent five years,

or ten years?

If turnout reports are to be produced by age,

gender, or party, those data have to be part of the

record. Age is most easily computed from a

birthdate in the record, but in the absence of that

information can be estimated to the closest full

year if the file contains both date of registration

and age at time of registration.

To serve certain purposes in the polling place,

the VAC must be designed and printed appropriately:

• If voters in a single precinct do not all vote the

same ballot — because of a party primary, or

because the precinct is split geographically—

will the VAC be used to ensure that the

correct ballot is issued? If so, what method

will be used — color coding? a printed indicator or message on the card?

• If the VAC is to be used to prevent chain

voting, there must be a method to assure that

the voter is casting the same ballot he was

issued. Maryland requires a numbered perforated stub on the ballot, and the stub number

is recorded on the ballot when both ballot and

VAC are issued at check-in. The numbers

must match before the ballot can be cast.

• To identify which pollworker checked in which

voter, the VAC must include a designated

space for the pollworker's signature or initials.

• To serve as a source document for updating

voter data — principally changes of address,

but also including error corrections —, the

VAC must have designated spaces for the

changes.

• If the voter's signature is to be captured on the

VAC, that space must be provided.

Choices must be made among available technologies. The voter's ID number can be punched,

printed in OCR characters or printed as a bar

code. If the jurisdiction has the equipment, it

may be able to develop a VAC which would be

entirely printed in one pass — both the form itself

and the data from an individual record.

Punchcards should be used only if card reading

capability can be assured — if, for instance, the

jurisdiction uses punchcard ballots and has card

readers for ballot reading. The reading of VACs

with OCR identifiers can be either by hand-held

wand or automatic feed readers; if machine capability is not available in-house, reading can contracted out to a bank, where that technology is

widely used for identifying checks. Bar code

identifiers, considered by many to be the state-ofthe-art method, can be read either by hand-held

wand or passing through a scanner, both of which

methods require handling of each card individually and will take an inordinately long time for a

large jurisdiction..

In the appendix of this report, specimens of

VACs from various Maryland counties are reproduced, along with descriptive material regarding

VAC systems and examples of statistical reports

produced from VAC data.

Alternatives to the VAC - How

Other States Accomplish the

Same Purposes the VAC Serves

in Maryland

Fewer than half of the states issue a document

which meets the criteria defined in this study for

9
a Voting Authority Card to the voter as he checks

in at the polling place. With two exceptions, the

card is not of the type used in Maryland — preprinted, machine processed, and multipurpose.

Those exceptions are (1) Delaware, where the

Commissioner of Elections produces and processes the documents, called computer-generated signature cards, for the State's three counties; the technology used is OCR and the

postelection reading of the voted cards to update

the State voter registration file is contracted out

to a bank. (2) Certain counties in Illinois, where

they are called Ballot Applications. (There may

well be other uses of a comprehensive VAC in

local jurisdictions; but such instances were not

reported by the State election authorities, the

sources of information for this study.)

The same purposes cited for the Voting Authority Card in Maryland are met in other States in a

variety of other ways:

Assuring That the Voter Votes

the Correct Ballot

Some of the documents issued serve only this

purpose, particularly where voting machines are

used. The document indicates party, and sometimes is color-coded, to assure correct positioning

of the party lever. New York and Virginia are two

such States.

Users of Votomatic systems sometimes colorcode the punchcard ballot issued to match the

vote recorder pages.

Most States, however, do not consider the possibility of a voter getting the wrong primary

ballot to be a problem and see no need to have a

back-up check for correctness. A typical comment

from one such State, "The party affiliation is on

the voter list, so that the correct ballot is issued."

Identifying Incorrect Data

In Voter Registration Records

Most states permit the voter, at the polls, to

identify and authorize changes and/or corrections to be made in his data; in some instances,

any of the data items can be targeted for updating; in other instances only certain changes can

be ordered that day. In a few states, if the

residence address on record is not current, the

person cannot vote that day.

Where change orders are permitted, most often

a special form or document is provided for that

purpose — sometimes a number of forms, the one

used dependent on the type of change to be made.

Where separate forms are not used, changes are

usually made on the voter list itself. Only in

Delaware and in some Maryland counties is the

VAC used for indicating changes and corrections.

Preventing Chain Voting (applies only

where a document ballot is used)

Just under half of the States that reported

using a document ballot have devised a procedure

to prevent chain voting. The most frequent methods are (1) a perforated numbered stub on the

ballot which number is recorded on the VAC;

numbers are matched and the stub removed before the ballot can be cast; or (2) the issuing

pollworker signs or initials the ballot; signature

or initials must be confirmed by pollworker at

ballot box before casting. One State stamps the

ballot as it is issued with an "official election

stamp".

Texas uses both methods: two pollworkers

sign the ballot, and in addition the ballot stub

number is recorded on the voter list and the

numbers are compared before the ballot is cast.

One State election director responded that her

State has no specific protection against chain

voting, and in fact she had never thought of the

possibility of such fraud. She went on to comment, however, that a number of her State's

jurisdictions use the three-sided voting booth,

which would make it more difficult to switch the

marked ballot with the issued ballot without

detection, and also that mark sense ballots are

large and cannot be folded, thus also foiling concealment.

10
A number of States are satisfied that their

ballot security procedures and "the vigilance of

election officials" prevent chain voting.

Determining at Intervals How Many

People Have Voted.

VACs of those who have voted are only one

source of information to meet this need. Others

include (1) adding up the public counters of

voting machines in the polling place; (2) counting

names checked off on voter list; (3) number of

names recorded in the poll books; (4) last ballot

number used, where ballots have serially numbered stubs; (5) last number crossed off on a

prenumbered tally sheet.

VACs will, in addition, yield the count by party,

for both primary and general elections, since they

indicate party affiliation of each voter and can be

assembled or spindled separately at they are

surrendered at the ballot box or voting machine.

Auditing.

The States have ample and sufficient methods

for reconciling election documentation. All use

two or more of the following: VACs, public counter

readings, names recorded in poll books, names

checked off on voter lists; tally sheets, retained

ballot stubs, number of ballots cast, and voter

history update reports.

Most States require the voter to sign his name

as he checks in at the polls, but only a fraction of

them compare that signature to the signature-ofrecord as part of qualification. Besides the VAC,

places for the election day signature to be captured are the original voter registration record in

the binder, the poll book, or the voter list.

Updating Voter History

About half the States have computerized voter

registration records, and about half of those record

voter history. Alternatives to the machine-read

VAC for entering this data include

• manual reading by wand from the voter list,

scanning the ID number, OCR or bar code, of

those checked off as voting;

• manual data entry from names listed in poll

book;

• manual data entry of ID numbers of names

checked off on voter list; and

• manual data entry from check-offs on original

voter registration records in binders.

All of the above accomplish the purpose, but all

are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and subject

to human error.

Correcting Individual Voter

Registration Records

Where law permits such changes to be identified and authorized on election day, and where

the VAC is not used, other separate forms are

supplied to the pollworkers for recording such

changes. They constitute good source documents

for the purpose, but they also require that additional pieces of paper be included in the polling

place supplies, handled by pollworkers, and returned to the election office.

11

Appendix 1

Glossary

13
The following terms have the meaning stated

when used in this report:

Chain voting. A method of corrupting document ballot elections in which a campaign workers gives a voter an already marked ballot before

he goes into the building to vote, which the voter

conceals while he checks in. Once in the privacy

of the voting booth, he switches the marked ballot

with the blank ballot he was issued at check-in,

emerges from the booth and casts the marked

ballot. When he leaves the building, he gives the

blank ballot to the campaign worker who will

subsequently pass it to another voter. Thus the

"chain" is kept in operation, and all votes cast by

the links in the chain reflect the position of the

campaign worker, not the free will of the voters.

Checking in a voter. The process by which the

pollworkers ascertain that the person who appears to vote is indeed qualified and entitled to

vote, at that polling place. The process is defined

differently in every state, to comply with the

provisions of that state's law. It can be as simple

as finding the voter's name on a printout and

checking off his name, but it can also include

verifying voter's identity; requiring the voter to

sign his name and comparing that signature with

the one on file; confirming that the voter still

resides at the address on file; etc.

Document ballot. A ballot printed on a piece of

paper and one is given to each voter. Includes

paper ballot, punchcard, and optically read such

as mark sense.

Inapplicable with a lever voting machine or a

direct recording electronic machine, where the

printed ballot appears on the face of the machine.

List of voters. A computer-produced list of the

eligible voters in a voting district. Usually used

to confirm that the person qualifies for voting,

with the name checked-off as he votes.

Other names used by various states for this list:

Checklist; roster index, polling place roster, or

just roster; precinct register; printout.

Original voter registration. The document

filled out, and signed by the voter, as part of the

registration process. Also sometimes called the

voter registration card, affidavit, or application.

Some states require that the original records,

usually kept in binders for each polling place, be

used at the polls on election day as the source to

determine that the person is registered, and for

comparison of the original signature with that

signed on election day.

Some states where law requires signature

comparison in order to qualify for voting are now

digitizing the signature from the original record,

storing it electronically, and reproducing it on the

computer-produced voter list used at the polls —

thus eliminating the need to transport original

records to the voting sites.

Poll Book. A document, usually multi-paged

and bound as a booklet, with sequentially numbered lines on which voter's names are listed as

they are processed for voting. Attending

pollworker usually records the names, but in

some states the voter himself records his name.

Other names used by various states for this

listing: poll list; names of voters; receipt book.

Pollworker: A member of the official staff who

conduct the election in the polling place. Does not

include campaign workers, watchers, challengers, etc., who represent entities other than the

government agency conducting the election.

Other names used by various states for these

personnel: inspector; election judge; judge of

election; officer of election; and many others.

Voting Authority Card. A document issued to,

or filled out by, a voter when he appears to vote at

the polls on election day. It can serve one or more

of the following purposes in processing the voter

through the voting: (1) a "ticket" to vote, presented either at the voting machine or at the

ballot box, which indicates that the voter has

been found to be qualified to vote; (2) back-up

assurance that the voter is casting the correct

ballot, as in party primary elections and/or when

14
mor

e than one ballot style is used in a single

polling place; (3) a place for the voter signature;

(4) identifying which pollworker deemed the voter

qualified; (5) protection against "chain voting";

(6) a means for correcting or updating the voter's

registration record; (7) an input document for

postelection updating of voter history electroni-

cally, which in turn facilitates the process of

purging from the registry those who have not

voted in a stated period of time, and makes

possible the production of extensively detailed

voter turnout reports based on geographic loca-

tion, party, gender, age, and other factors.; (8)

documentation of voting, to be used in after-

election audit, reconciling voting authority cards

with names checked off, poll book listings; public

and protective counter readings; ballot account-

ing reports, etc.

Other names used by various states for such a

document: voter card; voter slip; entry card;

signature card or slip; party card; voter's certifi-

cate; voter receipt; ballot card; poll ticket; ballot

application; application for ballot or application

to vote; authorization to vote; declaration of

eligibility. One state even referred to it as "a slip

of paper".

Voting history. The record indicating, for each

individual voter, whether he voted in elections

held during a specific period of time.

15

Appendix 2

Specimens of

Voting Authority Cards

17
Board of Supervisors of Elections for Montgomery County

GENERAL ELECTION, NOVEMBER 5th, 1968

DISTRICT PRECINCT VOTERS CERTIFICATE NO.

o

Address if other than shown on registry books

City

Signature of Voter.

Zip Code

(Signature must be written so it can be read)

(Initials of Issuing Judge)

If voter does not vote return this card to Judges

o

FORM 22

Precinct

Signature of

Code No.

Voter:

Board

NOVE

MAYORALTY

Ward

The above named

Judge must

.MBE R 5 , 199 1 1370-47-19

GENERAL ELECTION

Voting Authority Nn

person is authorized to vote

print full name of voter

Date of birth

J Judge Must

( Fill In

1 ^ *

of Supervisors

(Initials of issuing judge)

of Elections of Baltimore City

The manually processed VAC, used in Montgomery County MD until 1968, and the similar VAC still

used in Baltimore City MD. The information is handwritten by the pollworkers. (This VAC cannot

be machine-read to update voter history, but Baltimore City has a voter list which is optically scanned

for that purpose.)

18
DIST. PRCT. NO.

VOTER AUTHORITY CARD

LAST NAME FIRST, Ml

HOUSE/BOX [STREET NAME [TYPE pPT/ROUTE^^ ^

BIRTH DATE

1 1 i\Q Ut

ZIP

20632

1 C

PARTY

0 0 0 0 0 6

DATE

10000006

RECORD IN SPACES BELOW ANY CORRECTIONS TO VOTER DATA AS SHOWN ON REGISTRY. PRINT CLEARLY

LAST NAME

HOUSE NO./BOX

FIRST NAME. Ml

STREET NAME STREET TYPE APT. NO. ROUTE

BIRTH DATE

CITY OR TOWN o ZIP

SIGNATURE OF VOTER: _ BALLOT STUB NUMBER: _

INITIALS OF ISSUING JUDGE:.

ISSUc ONLY A **WHITE** DEMOCRATIC oALLOT

IF YOU DO NOT VOTE RETURN THIS CARD TO JUDGES

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND

DIST. PRCT.

HOUSE/BOX

NO.

VOTER AUTHORITY CARD

LAST NAME

STREET NAME

FIRST, Ml

TYPE APT/ROUTE

BIRTH DATE

ZIP

PARTY DATE

RECORD IN SPACES BELOW ANY CORRECTIONS TO VOTER DATA AS SHOWN ON REGISTRY. PRINT CLEARLY

LAST NAME FKST NAME, Ml

HOUSE NO/BOX STREET NAME APT. NO. ROUTE CITY OR TOWN o

SIGNATURE OF VOTER:. BALLOT STUB NUMBER:

INITIALS OF ISSUING JUDGE:

IF YOU DO NOT VOTE RETURN THIS CARD TO JUDGES

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND

Computerized VAC, Montgomery County MD. Punchcard.

All cards are one color (deep peach) for all elections. Continuous forms, prepunched and preprinted

by the vendor with an ID number. Hole at end of card is for placing it on a spindle. Designated spaces

for recording changes in voter data. This card, prepared for a primary election, includes the voter's

party indicator (D) in the party block, and also a printed message to issue a Democratic ballot. Stock:

standard tabulating card.

Carol Evans, Elections Administrator

301-217-6450

19
ATKI MSQN

LAST NAME

7 159 1 09

VOTER ID

LISA LASHARNE

Ft»-ST NAVE AND ".'IODLE >JfME OP INITIAL

121869

BtRTH DATE

DO NOT REMOVE

THIS CARD

FROM POLLING PLACE

SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

62

D'$T K:CT

00

PRECINC

000-00 15

O5/06/9 1

•_-MATURE CF '.OTCH

VwNATL>t_ OF ISSJ'NO JUD-.-L

[•:•_ • •"-..• [ j

CAR

D XTION 0RI2

<

LAST NAME

VOTER ID

JR SR ETC

BIRTH DATE

FIRST NAME AND MIODLE MAME OR INITIAL

DO NOT REMOVE

THIS CARD

FROM POLLING PLACE

SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS

PRINCE GEORGE S COUNTY

DISTRICT PRECINCT

<- )\TI- 0- N'I

ELECTION DATE

RIRTM fl^T F

THE AbOVE \MJ10 IS HEREBY AUTb.

SIGNATURE OF VOTE.R

SIGNATURE. OF ISSUING JUDGL

PRYOR ~4452

\

\

"B.2ED 10 VOTL

Computerized VAC, Prince George's County MD. Punchcard.

Cards are color coded for primary elections. Individual cards, produced by vendor as a form.

Computer printed and punched by county data processing facility, using IBM 3505/3525 card reader/

card punch. Changes in voter data are recorded on a separate form. Stock: standard tabulating card.

Robert J. Antonetti, Administrator

301-952-3270

20
J1UNICIPAL ELECTION FOR CHESTERTOWN

DIST

01

PRCT

000

HOUSE NO

am

LAST NAME TITLE

CARPENTER JR

STREET NAME

NORTH flUEEN ST

FIRST

RONALD

MIDDLE

DANDELOT

APT NO/BOX

PO BX 2t t

ZIP

ooaoao

PARTY

D

DATE

12/01/11

BIRTH DATE

01/Ql/bl

WHERE BORN

MD

ANY INFORMATION IF OTHER THAN SHOWN ABOVE. PRINT CLEARLY.

LAST NAME

HOUSE NO

FIRST NAME

STREET NAME

SIGNATURE OF VOTER

MIDDLE

APT NO/BOX ZIP

VOTING CERTIFICATE NO

0 12 3 4-

oisomstH

BIRTH DATE

WHERE BORN

INfTlALS OF ISSUING JUDGE

5678 3

[ft

o

DIST

HOUSE

PRCT

NO

LAST NAME TITLE

STREET NAME

FIRST

APT NO/BOX

MIDDLE

ZIP

PARTY DATE

BIRTH DATE WHERE BORN D

ANY INFORMATION IF OTHER THAN SHOWN ABOVE. PRINT CLEARLY.

LAST NAME

HOUSE NO STREET NAME

FIRST NAME

SIGNATURE OF VOTER

MIDDLE

APT NO /BOX ZIP

VOTING CERTIFICATE NO

BIRTH DATE

WHERE BORN

INITIALS OF ISSUING JUDGl

PLEASE PRINT YOUR NUMERALS LIKE THIS

0 I 234-5 6

FORM NO 3204 REV 1 80

Computerized VAC, produced by the Maryland State Board of Elections (SABEL) for the 14 counties

for which the voter registry database is maintained by the State. OCR.

Cards are color-striped at top for primary elections. Continuous forms. All voter data is computerprinted in OCR font, including ID number (lower left of card) which is machine-read to update the voter

history field. Designated spaces for recording changes in voter data. If the pollworker must hand write

a VAC (because it is missing, although the voter is on the voter list), the ID number is written in the

blocks in lower right corner, in format demonstrated directly above those blocks. Stock: 24 lb. bond

or 60 lb. book weight.

Gene M. Raynor, State Administrator

301-974-3711

21
PLEASE PRINT ANY CHANGES BELOW

DAYTIME TELEPHONE NUMBER (IN THE EVENT WE

NEED CLARIFYING INFORMATION)

WORK

HOME

JR/SR FIRST NAME FULL MIDDLE NAME

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

MAILING ADDRESS (IF DIFFERENT FROM RESIDENCE AODRESSI

PLEASE CHANGE MY PARTY AFFILIATION

FROM TO

Front side

FILL IN BACK

DO NOT

IF NAME

N O

WRITE IN

OR ADDRESS

THIS BLOCK

OTHER THAN SHOWN

SIGNATURE

DF vnTFR

IF YOU DO NOT VOTE

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS OF

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

DISTRICT PRECINCT

THE ABOVE NAMED IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO VOTE \ /

INITIALS OF

ISSUING JUDGE

RETURN THIS CARD TO JUDGES

Reverse side

Computerized VAC, Anne Arundel County MD. OCR.

Cards are color-coded for primary elections, except for block where ID number is printed, which if

left white. Continuous forms. Forms are press-printed on two sides; designated spaces for recording

changes to voter data on reverse side of card. Stock: 24 lb. bond or 60 lb. book weight.

Nancy Crawford, Administrator

301-222-6600

22
P-03039S

VOTER ID NO.

004336

LAST NAME TITLE

CONAUAY

FIRST

RAYMOND

STREET ADORESS APT. NO.

5112 WOODBINE RD

MIDDLE

N

P.O BOX NO. ZIP

£1797

PARTY

R

DIST

14

BIRTH DATE

07/17/15

PREC

02

BIRTH-PL

MD

ANY INFORMATION IF OTHER THAN SHOWN ABOVE.

LAST NAME

HOUSE NO

FIRST NAME

STREET NAME APT. NO.

SIGNATURE OF VOTER

X

PRINT CLEARLY.

MIDDLE

P.O. BOX NO.

BALLOT NO.

ZIP

POLL BOOK NO

BIRTH DATE

BIRTH-PLACE

INITIALS OF ISSUING JUDGE

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS

FOR CARROLL COUNTY, MARYLAND

IF YOU DO NOT VOTE RETURN THIS CARD TO JUDGES

004336

P-030392

VOTER ID NO.

094212

LAST NAME TITLE

BEVER

STREET ADDRESS

4430 UPPER BECKLEYSVILLE RO

FIRST

VIOLA

APT. NO.

MIDDLE

RUTH

PO. BOX NO. ZIP

£1 074

PARTY

0

DIST

08

BIRTH DATE

03/15/25

PREC

02

BIRTH-PL

MD

ANY

LAST NAME

HOUSE NO. STREET NAME

SIGNATURE OF VOTER

X

INFORMATION IF OTHER THAN

FIRST NAME

SHOWN ABOVE.

APT. NO.

PRINT

MIDDLE

P.O. BOX NO.

BALLOT NO

CLEARLY.

ZIP

POLL BOOK NO

BIRTH DATE

BIRTH-PLACE

INITIALS OF ISSUING JUDGE

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS

FOR CARROLL COUNTY, MARYLAND

IF YOU DO NOT VOTE RETURN THIS CARD TO JUDGES

094212

Computerized VAC, Carroll County MD. Bar coded.

Cards are color-coded for primary election with color stripe along top edge. Continuous forms,

printed by a vendor. Voter data is printed on the forms in the county computer facility, including ID

number which is both in bar code and numerals, lower right corner. Designated spaces for recording

changes in voter data, for signature of voter, ballot number and poll book number, and initials of

pollworker. The two specimens were prepared for the 1992 primary election, one for a Democratic voter

and one for a Republican voter. Stock: 24 lb. bond or 60 lb. book weight.

Rosemary McCloskey, Elections Administrator

Thomas Van de Bussche, Chief, Management Information Services

301-857-2080

23
VOTER: PLEASE FILL IN BIRTHDATE ON SECOND LINE AND SIGN CARD:

DIST

02

PRCT

013

HOUSE NO

3766

LAST NAME TITLE

MURPHY

STREET NAME

PLUM MEADOW DR

FIRST

ELLEN

MIDDLE

R

APT /BOX ZIP

21042

PARTY

DEM

BIRTH DATE

121439

REG DATE

021672

WHERE BORN

MHLMD, 0S>

o

IS THE ABOVE INFORMATION CORRECT? YES NO If not, please complete correction form.

SIGNATURE OF VOTER:

BALLOT NUMBER: INITIALS OF ISSUING JUDGE:

11UH111 tHM Hi my flttu MM U U IMH MII HU

000483 PRIMARY ELECTION MAR. 03, 1992

IF YOU DO NOT VOTE RETURN THIS CARD TO JUDGES

Computerized VAC, Howard County MD. Bar coded.

Cards are color-coded for primary election. Continuous form printed by a vendor. Hole at end of card

is for placing it on a spindle. Voter data is printed on the forms in the county computer facility,

including the ID number which appears both as bar code and numerals in the lower left corner.

Changes to voter data are not made on the card, but on separate forms provided for that purpose. Stock:

90 lb. index card stock.

Barbara Feaga, Election Administrator

301-313-2727

24
Appendix 3A

VAC System Description

Montgomery County MD

Carol Evans,

Elections Administrator

301-217-6450

25
VOTER AUTHORITY CARD - MONTGOMERY COUNTY

VOTER AUTHORITY CARD PROCESSING

IN THE LATE 1960 'S, THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARD PROCESS UAS AUTOMATED

ALONG UITH THE AUTOMATION OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION.

THE CARD UAS DESIGNED TO SERVE MULTIPLE PURPOSES. THESE ARE

1) AUTHORIZING THE VOTER TO VOTE AT THE POLLING PLACE, 2) UPDATING THE

VOTING HISTORY RECORD OF THE VOTER, AND 3) COLLECTING CERTAIN CHANGES

OR CORRECTIONS IN VOTER NAME AND ADDRESS.

THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARD IS PURCHASED FROM THE FORMS VENDOR AS A CONTINUOUS FORM IBM 80-COLUMN CARD WITH A CONSECUTIVE SERIAL NUMBER PREPUNCHED IN EACH CARD. THE CARDS ARE GREEN IN COLOR TO ENABLE THEN

TO BE DISTINGUISED FROM ANY BALLOTS. THE IDENTIFYING VOTER INFORMATION

- NAME, ADDRESS, SEX, BIRTHDATE, PARTY, AND VOTING DISTRICT AND PRECINCT

- IS PRINTED ON THE CARD BY THE CENTRAL DATA PROCESSING FACILITY. THE

CARDS ARE PRODUCED IN ALPHABETICAL WITHIN VOTING DISTRICT AND PRECINT

SEQUENCE. FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION, A MESSAGE IS PRINTED ON THE CARD

TELLING THE JUDGES AT THE POLLS WHICH PARTY BALLOT IS TO BE ISSUED TO

EACH VOTER. DURING THE PRINTING PROCESS A SUSPENSE FILE IS CREATED

WHICH LINKS THE SERIAL NUMBER OF THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARD WITH THE

VOTER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS ARE NOT PRINTED

FOR ANY PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN SENT ABSENTEE BALLOTS PRIOR TO THE

PRINTING OF THE CARDS.

AFTER BEING PRINTED THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS ARE BURST AT THE CENTRAL

COMPUTER FACILITY AND DELIVERED TO THE ELECTIONS OFFICE. AT THE

ELECTIONS OFFICE THE CARDS ARE DIVIDED INTO VARIOUS ALPHABETICAL

GROUPINGS DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF CHECK IN STATIONS NEEDED IN EACH

PRECINCT. PRIOR TO BEING BOXED AND PACKED FOR EACH PRECINCT THE

ELECTIONS OFFICE PERSONNEL REMOVE THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS FOR ANY

VOTERS WHO HAVE BEEN SENT ABSENTEE BALLOTS SINCE THE CARDS WERE

ORIGINALLY PRINTED.

AT THE POLLING PLACE, THE APPRORIATE BOX OF VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS ARE

DISTRIBUTED TO THE EACH CHECK IN STATION TABLE, AS EACH VOTER ARRIVES

AT THE POLLING PLACE, THE CHECK IN JUDGE MARKS THE PRECINCT REGISTER

AND LOCATES THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARD. THE JUDGE ASKS THE VOTER IF ALL.

THE INFORMATION PRINTED ON THE CARD IS CORRECT. IF THERE ARE ANY

CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE VOTER'S INFORMATION THESE ARE RECORDED IN

THE SPACE PROVIDED ON THE CARD. HOWEVER THE VOTER MAY NOT CHANGE PARTY

AFFILIATION AT THE POLLS, AFTER VERIFYING THE INFORMATION, THE VOTER

SIGNS THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARD. THE JUDGE THAN RECORDS ON THE CARD

THE SEQUENCE NUMBER OF THE BALLOT WHICH IS ISSUED TO THAT VOTER AND

INITIALS THE CARD IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACE,

AFTER VOTING THE BALLOT, THE VOTER HANDS THE BALLOT IN THE SECURITY

JACKET AND THE AUTHORITY CARD TO THE BALLOT BOX JUDGE, THE BALLOT BOX

JUDGE VERIFIES THAT THE SEQUENCE NUMBER ON ALL BALLOT CARDS IN THE

SECURITY JACKET MATCHES THE NUMBER RECORDED ON THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARD

BEFORE ASKING THE VOTER TO DEPOSIT THE BALLOT IN THE BALLOT BOX. THE

JUDGE THAN PLACES THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARD ON A SPINDLE AT THE BALLOT

BOX STATION. WHEN THE POLLS CLOSE, THE AUTHORITY CARDS ARE REMOVED

FROM THE SPINDLE ARE WRAPPED FOR RETURN TO THE ELECTIONS OFFICE. THE

ISSUED VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS ARE WRAPPED AND KEPT SEPARATE FROM THE

CARDS WHICH WERE NOT ISSUED.

26
VOTER AUTHORITY CARD MONTGOMERY COUNTY

AFTER BEING RETURNED TO THE ELECTIONS OFFICE THE ISSUED VOTER

AUTHORITY CARDS ARE READ TO TAPE USING THE CARD READERS WHICH HAD

BEEN USED FOR READING THE BALLOTS. THE TAPE IS THEN SENT TO THE

CENTRAL COMPUTER FACILITY, SORTED BY THE CARD SEQUENCE NUMBER, AND

MATCHED TO THE SUSPENSE FILE CREATED UHEN THE CAROS WERE PRINTED IN

ORDER TO OBTAIN THE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OF THE VOTER. THE VOTER'S

RECORO IS THEN UPDATED WITH THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION IDENTIFYING

THE ELECTION TYPE AND THAT THE VOTER VOTED IN PERSON AT THE POLLS.

(IF THE VOTER VOTED BY ABSENTEE, THIS FACT IS UPDATED ON-LINE THROUGH

THE TERMINALS UHEN THE ABSENTEE BALLOT IS RETURNED.)

AFTER THE VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS ARE READ TO TAPE AND THE TAPE IS SENT TO

THE COMPUTER ROOM, THE CARDS ARE SORTED BY SEQUENCE NUMBER USING THE TAB

CARD SORTER IN THE ELECTIONS OFFICE TO GET THEM IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

WITHIN PRECINCT. THE CARDS ARE THEN REVIEWED BY ELECTIONS OFFICE PERSONNEL TO LOCATE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE VOTER'S INFORMATION

WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AT THE POLLS.

CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM:

SINCE THE SYSTEM WAS ORIGINALLY IMPLEMENTED IN THE EARLY 70'S, THERE

HAVE BEEN TWO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE PROCESSING OF THE VOTER AUTHORITY

CARDS.

CHANGE 1. VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS FOR ABSENTEE VOTERS

UHEN ORIGINALLY IMPLEMENTED VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS WERE

PRODUCED FOR ALL REGISTERED VOTERS. PRIOR TO PACKING FOR

THE POLLING PLACE THE CARDS FOR VOTERS SENT ABSENTEE BALLOTS

WERE MANUALLY PULLED BY ELECTIONS OFFICE STAFF. WITH THE

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ON-LINE ABSENTEE PROCESS IT BECAME

FEASIBLE TO NOT PRINT VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS FOR THOS PERSONS

WHO HAD BEEN ISSUED ABSENTEE BALLOTS UP TO THE TIME OF

PRINTING. THIS CHANGE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER

OF CARDS PRINTED AND MANUALLY PULLEO , PARTICULARLY IN A

PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION WHEN WE CAN HAVE UP TO 25,000

ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUESTS.

CHANGE 2: COLOR AND SEQUENCE OF CARDS.

WHEN ORIGINALLY IMPLEMENTED VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS FOR A

PRIMARY ELECTION WERE PRINTED ON EITHER PINK, WHITE OR YELLOW

STOCK ACCORDING TO PARTY AFFILIATION. EACH POLLING PLACE THEN

RECEIVED 3 DIFFERENT SETS. WHILE THIS WAS THOUGHT TO BE OF

ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING THE PROPER BALLOT THE VOTER WAS TO

RECEIVE, IT WAS IN FACT A MATTER OF SOME CONFUSION FOR THE

ELECTION JUDGES, VOTERS OFTEN THINK THEY HAVE REGISTERED WITH

A DIFFERENT PARTY AND JUDGES DIDN'T ALWAYS LOOK THROUGH ALL

THREE SETS TO LOCATE THE VOTER'S CARD. WE HAVE CHANGED THE

PRIMARY PROCESS TO CORRESPOND TO THE GENERAL PROCESS AND

PRODUCE ONE STRAIGHT ALPHABETIC SET OF CARDS PER PRECINCT. WE

ALSO CHANGED THE COLOR OF ALL VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS TO GREEN

SO THEY COULD BE EASILY DISTINGUISHED FROM ANY BALLOT SHOULD

THE CARD END UP IN THE BALLOT BOX BY ERROR.

27
VOTER AUTHORITY CARD -- MONTGOMERY COUNTY

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS:

THERE ARE TUG BASIC TECHNICAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH MONTGOMERY COUNTY

'S VOTER AUTHORITY CARD SYSTEM, THE FIRST PROBLEM HAS BEEN A PART OF

THE PROCESS SINCE IT UAS ORIGINALLY IMPLEMENTED; THE SECOND PROBLEM IS

CAUSED BY THE CHANGES IN DATA PROCESSING OVER THE PAST TWENTY YEARS.

PROBLEM 1. : BECAUSE OF THE PARTICULAR MODEL OF CARD PUNCH OWNED BY THE

COUNTY IT UAS NECESSARY TO DESIGN THE PROCESS AROUND FORMS

UHICH CONTAINED PREPUNCHED SERIAL NUMBERS AND PRINTED ON THE

LINE PRINTER. BECAUSE OF THIS THE SUSPENSE FILE BECAME

NECESSARY TO LINK THE SERIAL NUMBER ON THE VOTER AUTHORITY

CARD AND THE VOTER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER NEEDED TO UPDATE

THE VOTER'S RECORD AFTER THE ELECTION. IF A PRINTING CARD

PUNCH HAD BEEN AVAILABLE THE VOTER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

COULD HAVE BEEN PUNCHED IN THE CARD AS THE VOTER INFORMATION

UAS PRINTED ON THE CARD.

PROBLEM 2: AS OF THIS TIME, PUNCHED CARD PROCESSING IS A TECHNIQUE

WHICH HAS BECOME TOTALLY OBSOLETE, VENDORS ARE NO LONGER

BUILDING OR MAINTAINING THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO PROCESS

PUNCHED CARDS. MONTGOMERY COUNTY IS ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH

THE CURRENT PROCESS ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE CARD READERS

AVAILABLE TO US WHICH REAO THE BALLOTS AND UE HAVE COLLESTED

OLD TAB EQUIPMENT FROM OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES. IN THE NOT

TOO DISTANT FUTURE THERE WILL BE NO SKILLS AVAILABLE TO

REPAIR THE EQUIPMENT WE HAVE AND ALTERNATIVE. PROCESSES WILL

HAVE TO BE IMPLEMENTED.

EQUIPMENT:

THE FOLLOWING LIST OF EQUIPMENT IS CURRENTLY UTILIZED TO PROCESS THE

VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS.

3

4

IBM MAINFRAME WITH TAPE

AND DISK DRIVES

IBM IMPACT LINE PRINTER

CONTINUAOUS FORMS BURSTER

DOCUMATION CARD READERS

IBM TAB CARD SORTER

MAINTAIN THE VOTER REGISTRY ON

DISK AND PROCESS APPROPRIATE

ADDS, CHANGES, AND DELETIONS

PRINT VOTER INFORMATION ON CARDS

SEPARATE THE CARDS AFTER PRINTING

READ TO TAPE THE CARDS OF THOSE

WHO VOTED IN THE ELECTION

ALPHABETIZE CARDS OF THOSE WHO

VOTED FOR MANUAL REVIEW

28
1. READ THE VOTER REGISTRY

IF ABSENTEE BALLOT NOT

REQUESTED PUT RECORD TO

TAPE

2. SORT VOTER RECORD BY NAME

WITHIN ELECTION DISTRICT

AND PRECINCT

COMPUTER OPERATOR ENTERS

BEGINNING VOTER AUTHORITY

CARD SEQUENCE NUMBER

PRINT CARD FOR EACH VOTER

WRITE TO TAPE THE CARD

SEQUENCE NUMBER AND THE

MATCHING VOTER ID NUMBER

4. BURST THE PRINTED VOTER

AUTHORITY CARDS IN THE DATA

PROCESSING DEPARTMENT

5. ELECTIONS OFFICE PACK

CARDS FOR EACH PRECINCT
6. POLLING PLACE USES

AUTHORITY CARD AND

RETURNS THEM TO ELECTIONS

OFFICE

7. ELECTIONS OFFICES PLACES

USED VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS

IN BOXES BY PRECINCT

8. USED VOTER AUTHORITY CARDS

READ TO TAPE BY ELECTIONS

OFFICE

9. SORT TAPE BY CARD SEQUENCE

NUMBER

10. MATCH SORTED TAPE AGAINST

SUSPENSE FILE CREATED IN

STEP 1 TO FIND VOTER ID

NUMBER

UPDATE VOTER RECORD WITH

CODE FOR VOTING IN ELECTION
11. PHYSICALLY SORT THE VOTER

AUTHORITY CARDS BY CARD

SEQUENCE NUMBER

12. REVIEW CARDS AND EXTRACT

THOSE WITH CHANGES TO THE

VOTER INFORMATION

13. UPDATE THE VOTER RECORD

WITH THE NEW INFORMATION

BY ENTERING DATA THROUGH

THE TERMINAL.

Appendix 3B

VAC System Description

Carroll County MD

Rosemary McCloskey,

Elections Administrator

301-857-2080

33
POLLING PLACE PROCEDURES FOR

THE VOTING AUTHORITY CARD

in

Carroll County, Maryland

In 1984 a change from lever machines to a computerized

system utilizing a punched ballot card was made. This change

necessitated changes to the Voting Authority Card (VAC)

procedures at the polling place.

Each precinct receives its voting authority cards in a

sealed carton. Under the direction of a Chief Judge, the cards

are distributed to the appropriate check-in tables.

After locating the voter's name in the electronically

reproduced precinct register, the Book Judge pulls the proper

voting authority card, initials it and requests the voter to

verify it, making any changes and/or corrections, and sign the

card.

The voter then gives the signed card to the second Book

Judge who places the poll book number and ballot stub number on

the card in the appropriate areas.

The VAC together with the ballot is then given to the voter.

After the voter has punched his ballot, he proceeds to the

ballot box. The Ballot Box Judge checks the stub number on the

VAC against the ballot stub number of the ballot being presented;

being satisfied that the ballot presented is the same one as was

issued, the Judge allows the voter to remove the ballot stub from

the ballot and deposit the ballot in the ballot box. The VAC is

retained at the ballot box station and placed in the carton in

which all VACs were originally shipped.

When the polls close, all signed (voted) VACs are banded and

sealed together; all unsigned (not voted) VACs are also banded

and sealed together. Both "packs" are then sealed in the

original carton and returned to the election office with the

other supplies.

34
THE CARROLL COUNTY VOTING AUTHORITY CARD

BACKGROUND

The use of voting authority cards is mandated by Article 33,

Section 15-4 of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Prior to 1982, a

voting authority card was a 3"x5" card up[on which the name of

the voter was hand written by an election judge and given to the

voter for his signature. This card was then presented to the

machine judge, and the voter was allowed to vote. Statistical

information was difficult to gather.

In 1982, a change to a pre-printed key punch card was made.

The procedures for issuance remained the same except the Book

Judge no longer entered the voter's name. By reading the punched

cards, statistical information concerning voter turnout could now

be electronically compiled. By 1986, it was becoming

increasingly difficult to find facilities to punch and pre-print

the cards, particularly the "chip" area which required special

equipment. Carroll County was also phasing out key punching of

data.

SEARCH FOR NEW CARD

A search for a new voting authority card system was begun.

Under the guidance of Thomas Van de Bussche, Bureau Chief,

Management Information Services, bar coding was investigated.

Mr. Van de Bussche arranged for a visit to a commercial company

using bar coding for record purposes. Criteria in considering a

new system were cost, accuracy, reliability, compatibility with

existing equipment, and possible utilization of equipment by

other county agencies. By the fall of 1987, it was decided to

use a bar coding system for the following reasons:

1. Could be used by other county agencies.

2. Pre-printed paper stock would not be affected by humidity,

making for easier storage; paper stock less costly than card

stock

3. Proved accuracy and reliability

4. Lighter weight paper stock makes transporting to polls easier

5. Cards can be prepared "in-house" making a more accurate and

efficient process.

Since the county was getting a new high speed dot matrix printer

with bar coding capabilities, printer problems would be solved.

35
THE SYSTEM

The equipment consists of a pod and wand. The pod plugs in

between the standard keyboard and the terminal display. The cost

was approximately $500 per set. Two sets were purchased.

A new voting authority card was designed. More information

was included on the new card. The card is very easy to read and,

if damaged, does not have to be reproduced to be read. The voter

identification number may be manually keyed into the system.

HOW IT WORKS

Appropriate commands are entered to "log on" to the system.

Reading may then begin. Random updating is used whereby the

appropriate record is located on the disc file and updated.

As a card is read, a beep is sounded indicating the bar code

was correctly decoded; a second beep follows indicating the

information was correctly sent and the record has been updated.

Simultaneously, the voter identification number, name, district,

precinct, party affiliation, and any error or warning message

appears on the screen. After each precinct is read, a report is

generated showing the aforementioned information and statistical

data. After all precincts have been read and any corrections

made, a full listing of all voting authority cards read is

printed. This listing is produced in two formats: "straight"

alphabetical and by district and precinct. Over the years, the

terminal screen and the reports have undergone modifications and

enhancements. The system is now easy to use and produces

accurate results.

COST

The cost for key punched cards in 1986 was $12.20 per 1,000

plus $799.50 for set-up, plate charge, and delivery. Since key

punching of the cards was not done in-house, the charge for

punching was approximately $500 per election.

The current VAC forms cost (in 1991) $8.99 per 1,000 on an

order of 136,000. The printing of voter information and bar

coding is done in-house and not charged out to our budget.

DISADVANTAGES

The actual printing of the bar code is time consuming for

the Data Department. Even with the high speed printer, it takes

between 12-16 hours to code slightly over 56,500 cards. For

large jurisdictions, bar coding may not be feasible; however, for

small to medium areas, bar coding is a viable option.

36
f START J

SORT VOTER

FILE BY NAME

WITHIN ELECTION

DISTRICT &

PRECINCT

CONSOLE

ENTER

PROCESSING

OPTIONS

RANDOM

UPDATE TO

VOTER FILE

VOTER

FILE

(OD# SEQ)

VOTER

FILE

(ID#SEQ)

HP3000/70

UPDATE

VOTING

RECORD

f BAR 3ODE

READER

HP3000/70

UPDATE

VOTER

INFORMATION

KEY ENTER

CHANGES

( END J

CO

Appendix 4A

Specimens of

Statistical Reports:

Voter turnout by party,

age, and sex by precinct

and countywide

Anne Arundel County MD

Nancy Crawford,

Administrator

301-222-6600

39
ANN E A fl U N D E L COUN T Vi MARYLAN O

BOAR D O F SUPERVISO R O F ELECTION S

NOVEMBER 1990 GENERAL ELECTION VOTING RESULTS

OISIRICT PRECINCT

05 01 I

TOTAL REGISTERED

TOTAL VOTING IN PERSON

TOTAL VOTING ABSENTEE

TOTAL VOTED

PERCENTAGE VOTING

TOTAL REGISTERED

TOTAL VOTING IN PERSON

TOTAL VOTING ABSENTEE

TOTAL VOTED

PERCENTAGE VOTING

TOTAL REGISTERED

TOTAL VOTING IN PERSON

TOTAL VOTING ABSENTEE

TOTAL VOTED

PERCENTAGE VOTING

P A

DEMOCRATS UNDER 21 REPULT l f AFFILIATIO N

CAN UNDER 21 DECLINES UNDER 21

10

I

AMERICAN UNDER 21

8 2 6

592

17

609

.73

T O T

REGISTERED

1 .63*

1 .083

41

1 • 12*

.68

MALES

794

530

22

5 5 2

. 6 9

36

10

4

14

. 3 8

A L

UNDER 2 1

96

21

8

29

. 30

S E

UNDER 21

46

9

4

1 3

. 2 8

6 5 5

4 0 5

22

4 2 7

. 6 5

8 0 18 -

X

FEMALES

840

553

19

5 7 2

. 6 8

5 0

10

4

14

. 2 8

20

96

21

8

29

.30

UNOER

21

21

50

12

4

16

32

151

86

2

88

. 5 8

- 35

4 10

21 3

7

2 2 0

. 5 3

OTHERS UNDE R 2 I

2

1

. 10

G E

36 - 50

6 39

474

8

482

.75

51-6 5

353

275

14

289

.81

66 - OVER

136

100

4

104

. 76

UNDE R 2 1 TOTAL S AR E INCLUDE D I N TOTAL S T O TH E LEF T tf <r
TOTAL REGISTERED IN ANNE ARUNOEL COUNTY OCTOBER

REGISTRATION BY ABSENTEE BALLOTT

TOTAL

OFFICIA L TABULATIO N B Y

OAR D O F SUPERVISOR S O F ELECTION S FO R

ANN E ARUNOE L COUNTY . MARYLAN D

GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 06 1990

09. 1990 180.17 I 80.1788 TOTAL VOTED IN ANNE ARUNOEL COUNTY NOVEMBER

14

180.192

1990 117.786

- - R E G I

TOTAL

DEMOCRATS 99.585

REPUBLICANS 66.103

DECLINES 11.823

OTHERS 181

TOTAL 160.192

MALES

FEMALES

TOTAL

85.532

9*.960

180.192

STERED- -

ABSENTEE

1 .632

I . 351

143

I

3. 1 30

1 .462

1 .668

3.130

TOTAL

UNDER 21

3.006

1. 796

I .009

18

8. 829

4.25 8

1.57 1

8.82 9

ABSENTEE

UNDER 21

126

154

13

--VOTED- -

TOTAL UNDER 21

DEMOCRATS 68.388 976

REPUBLICANS 41.391 1.310

DECLINES 7.934 196

OTHERS 73 4

TOTAL 117.786 2.486

122

171

293

MALES

FEMALES

TOTAL

57.039

60.747

117.786

1 .21 1

I .275

2.486

Appendix 4B

Selections from

Voter Turnout Reports:

Listing of all turnout reports

issued; Turnout by party,

precinct and Congressional

district; Turnout by age, party,

gender for all voters and

absentee voters.

Montgomery County MD

Carol Evans,

Elections Administrator

301-217-6450

43
Part

Part

Part

Part

Part

Part

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

In numerical

Pages 512 -

In numerical

Pages 518 -

In numerical

Pages 527 -

In numerical

Pages 536 -

In numerical

Pages 545 -

Countywide

Page 554

Page 555

Page 556

Page 557

VOTE R TURNOU T

General Election, November 6, 1990

Montgomery County, Maryland

order

517

order

526

order

535

order

544

order

553

by precinct within Election District.

All registered voters by party, precinct and election

district.

by precinct within Congressional District.

All registered voters by party, precinct and Congressional

District.

by precinct within Legislative District.

All registered voters by party, precinct and Legislative

District.

by precinct within Councilman1c District.

All registered voters by party, precinct and Coundlmanic

District.

by precinct within School Board District.

All registered voters by party, precinct and School Board

District.

All registered voters by age group and party.

Female registered voters by age group and party.

Male registered voters by age group and party.

Absentee ballots by age group and party
4

en

DISTRIC T &

PRECINC T

01-01

01-02

02-01

02-02

02-03

03-00

06-01

06-02

06-03

06-04

06-05

06-06

10-01

10-02

10-03

10-07

10-09

10-10

1 1-00

12-01

12-02

12-03

DISTRICT

TOT DIST 6

04-01

04-02

VOTERS AND

DEMOCRATS

REG. VOTED

845

1 ,660

843

1 ,277

1,229

995

659

570

1 ,494

1 .27 1

845

1 .449

404

652

612

695

790

747

519

1.266

726

1 ,281

20.829

1. 129

844

535

938

536

675

631

652

415

343

805

787

575

946

267

430

408

461

505

444

363

715

450

817

12.698

632

588

VOTES CAST BY PRECINCT WITHIN

PREPARED BY SUPERVISORS OF

PERCENT

63.3

56.5

63.6

52.9

51.3

65.5

63.0

6O.2

53.9

61 .9

68.0

65.3

66. 1

66.0

66.7

66.3

63.9

59.4

69.9

56.5

62.0

63.8

61.0

56.0

69.7

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT -

ELECTIONS. MONTGOMERY CO.

REPUBLICANS

REG. VOTED PERCENT REG.

862

1 ,798

749

1. 132

1.326

976

881

778

1 .394

969

975

984

496

838

544

509

902

865

391

1 , 328

758

1 ,255

20.710

514

467

508

918

403

517

565

576

513

417

662

504

549

52 1

288

471

316

297

519

457

236

639

434

631

10.941

249

263

58.9

51.1

53.8

45.7

42.6

59.0

58.2

53.6

47.5

52.0

56.3

52.9

58. 1

56.2

58. 1

58.3

57.5

52.8

60.4

48. 1

57.3

50.3

52.8

48.4

56.3

260

571

186

448

546

351

258

206

485

463

329

518

143

249

177

215

292

345

1 12

395

205

375

7. 129

252

218

DECLINES

VOTED PERCENT

125

240

93

180

222

168

1 19

90

191

225

161

275

61

124

101

1 15

146

154

56

142

100

166

3,254

105

116

48. 1

42.0

50.0

40.2

40.7

47.9

46. 1

43.7

39.4

48.6

48.9

53. 1

42.7

49.8

57. 1

53.5

50.0

44.6

50.0

35.9

48.8

44. 3

45.6

41.7

53.2

GENERAL ELECTION

. MD.

REG.

0

0

1

1

2

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

1

11

0

0

OTHERS

VOTED

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

1 1-06

PERCENT

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

50.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

100.0

0.0

0.0

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

27.3

0.0

0.0

-90

REG.

1 .967

4,029

1 , 779

2,858

3, 103

2,322

1 ,798

1 .554

3,373

2,704

2, 150

2,952

1 ,04 3

1 .740

1 ,333

1.419

1 .984

1 ,957

1 ,022

2 .991

1 .689

2,912

48,679

1 ,895

1 ,529

PAGE •

TOTAL

VOTED

1 , 168

2.096

1 .032

1 ,372

1 , 4 1 9

1 ,396

1 ,04 7

850

1 .658

1.516

1 .286

1 .742

616

1 .026

825

873

1 , 170

1 .055

655

1 .496

984

1 .614

26.896

986

967

5 18

PERCENT

59.4

52.0

58.0

48.0

45.7

60 1

58.2

54.7

49.2

56. 1

59.8

59.0

59. 1

59.0

61.9

61.5

59.0

53.9

64. 1

50.0

58.3

55.4

55.3

52.0

63.2
VIP196

DATE-RUN:11/20/90

MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND

REGISTERED VOTERS AND VOTES CAST BY AGE GROUP AND PARTY -

PAGE 554

GENERAL ELECTION 11/06/9 0

DEMOCRAT S REPUBLICAN S

AQE

GROUP

UNDER 21

21 - 24

25 - 34

35 - 44

45 - 54

55 - 64

OVER 64

ALL VOTERS

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

5,423

9.555

36,243

48,033

35,465

26,538

35.815

197,072

2.75

4.85

18.39

24.37

18.00

13.47

18. 17

100.CO

VOTED

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

1

2

16

31

25

19

25

123

.334

.533

,619

,284

.475

.890

.921

,056

24

26

45

65

71

74

72

62

.59

.50

.85

. 13

.83

.94

.37

.44

*

• AGE

• GROUP

*

* UNDER

• 21 -

• 25 -

* 35 -

• 45 -

*

* 55 -

* OVER

*

21

24

34

44

54

64

64

*

• ALL VOTERS

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

4,836

9, 146

28,717

22.551

19,346

15,856

19,745

120.197

4.02

7.61

23.89

18 .76

16. 10

13.19

16.43

100.00

VOTED

NUMBER

988

2 . 152

11,679

13.134

12.640

11.340

13.567

65.500

PERCENT OF

REGISTERED

20.43

23. 52

40.66

58 . 24

65.33

71.51

68.7 1

54.49

OTHER S TOTAL S

AGE

GROUP

UNDER

21 -

25 -

35 -

45 -

55 -

OVER

21

24

34

44

54

64

64

ALL VOTERS

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

2.237

4,236

1 1 ,818

13,717

7,725

4,421

4.534

48.688

4.59

8.70

24.27

28. 17

15.87

9.08

9 31

100.00

VOTED

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

4

7

4

2

2

22

354

718

.091

. 190

,584

,819

.885

.64 1

15.82

16.94

34.61

52.41

59.33

63.76

63.63

46.50

• AGE

• GROUF

*

*

• UNDER

* 21 -

• 25 -

• 35 -

• 45 -

• 55 -

• OVER

>

21

24

34

44

54

64

64

* ALL VOTERS

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

12.496

22.937

76.778

84,301

62,536

46.815

60,094

365,957

3.41

6.27

20.98

23.04

17.09

12 .79

16.42

100.00

VOTED

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

2

5

32

51

42

34

42

.676

,403

.389

.608

,699

.049

.373

21 .

23

42

61

68

72

70

41

.55

. 18

.21

.27

. 73

.51

2 11.197
VIP 196

DATE-RUN:1

AGE

GROUP

UNDER 21

21 - 24

25 - 34

35 - 44

45 - 54

55 - 64

OVER 64

ALL VOTERS

AGE

GROUP

UNDER 21

21-2 4

25 - 34

35 - 44

45 - 54

55 - 64

OVER 64

ALL VOTERS

1/20/90 REGISTERED

D E M 0 C R A

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

3, 120

5,689

21 .356

27,820

20,002

14,312

20.728

113,027

2.76

5.03

18.89

24.61

17.70

12.66

18.34

100.00

OTHER S

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

1 . 150

2.210

6, 101

6.612

3.371

1 .906

2,252

23,602

4.87

9.36

25.85

28.01

14.28

8.08

9.54

100.00

MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND

FEMALE VOTERS AND VOTES CAST BY AGE GROUP AND PARTY -

T S

VOTED

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

752

1,519

9,454

17,847

14.166

10,541

14.372

68,651

24 . 10

26.70

44 . 26

64. 15

70.82

73.65

69.33

60.73

VOTED

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

182

360

2,007

3,381

1 ,889

1 . 150

1.295

10,264

15.82

16.28

32.89

51.13

56.03

60.33

57.50

43.48

*

*

AGE

• GROUP

*

• UNDER 2 1

• 21-2 4

• 25-3 4

• 35-4 4

• 45-5 4

• 55-6 4

* OVER 64

*

* ALL VOTERS

*

*

*

*

* AGE

* GROUP

* UNDER 2 1

* 21-2 4

• 25-3 4

• 35-4 4

* 45-5 4

* 55-6 4

• OVER 64

*

• ALL VOTERS

R E

GENERAL

P U B L I

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

2. 190

4,388

13.838

11,080

9, 547

7,897

11.229

60,169

3.64

7.29

23.00

18.41

15.87

13. 12

18 .66

100.00

TOTA L

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

6,460

12.287

4 1,295

45,512

32.920

24, 1 15

34,209

196.798

3.28

6. 24

20.98

23. 13

16.73

12.25

17.38

100.00

ELECTION 1

CAN S

NUMBER

439

1 .000

5.485

6.36 1

6. 163

5.532

7.307

32.2B7

S

NUMBER

1 , 373

2.879

16,946

27,589

22,218

17,223

22.974

111.202

PAGE a 555

1/06/90

VOTED

PERCENT OF

REGISTERED

20.04

22.78

39 63

57 .40

64 .55

70.05

65.07

53.66

VOTED

PERCENT OF

REGISTERED

21 .25

23.43

4 1 .03

60.6 1

67 .49

71 . 42

67 . 15

56.50
00

VIP196

DATE-RUN:11/20/90

AGE

GROUP

UNDER 21

21-2 4

25 - 34

35 - 44

45 - 54

55 - 64

OVER 64

ALL VOTERS

AGE

GROUP

UNDER 21

21 - 24

25 - 34

35 - 44

45 - 54

55 - 64

OVER 64

ALL VOTERS

D

REGISTERED

E M 0 C R A T

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

2,303

3,866

14,887

20.213

15,463

12,226

15,087

84.045

2.74

4.60

17.71

24.05

18.40

14.55

17.95

100.00

OTHER S

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

1 .087

2,026

5.717

7. 105

4,354

2.515

2,282

25,086

4.33

8.08

22.79

28.32

17.36

10.03

9. 10

100.00

MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND

MALE VOTERS AND VOTES CAST BY AGE GROUP AND PARTY -

S

VOTED

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

582

1 ,014

7, 165

13.437

1 1 . 309

9.349

11,549

54,405

25.27

26.22

48. 12

66.47

73. 13

76.46

76.54

64. 73

VOTED

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

172

358

2,084

3.809

2,695

1.669

1.590

12,377

15.82

17.67

36.45

53.61

61 .89

66.36

69.67

49.33

*

• AGE

• GROUP

*

*

* UNDER 2 1

• 21-2 4

• 25-3 4

• 35-4 4

* 45-5 4

• 55-6 4

* OVER 64

*

+

* ALL VOTERS

*

*

*

*

• AGE

• GROUP

+

*

• UNDER 21

• 21-2 4

• 25-3 4

• 35-4 4

• 45-5 4

« 55-6 4

• OVER 64

*

• ALL VOTERS

*

R E

PAGE » 556

GENERAL ELECTION 11/06/90

P U B L I C A

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

2.646

4,758

14.879

1 1 ,471

9.799

7,959

8,516

60.028

4.41

7.93

24.79

19.11

16. 32

13.26

14 . 19

100.00

TOTAL S

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

6,036

10,650

35,483

38,789

29.616

22.7O0

25,885

169.159

3.57

6.30

20.9b

22.93

17.51

13.42

15.30

100.00

N S

VOTED

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

549

1. 152

6. 194

6.773

6,477

5.808

6.260

33.213

20.74

24.2 1

41 .62

59.04

66.09

72.97

73.50

55.32

VOTED

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

1 .303

2,524

15.443

24,019

20.48 1

16.826

19.399

99.995

21 .58

23.69

43.52

61 .92

69. 15

74. 12

74.94

59. 1 1
4

CO

VIP155

DATE-RUN:1

AGE

GROUP

UNDER 21

21-2 4

25 - 34

35 - 44

45 - 54

55 - 64

OVER 64

ALL VOTERS

AGE

GROUP

UNDER 21

21-2 4

25 - 34

35 - 44

45 - 54

55 - 64

OVER 64

ALL VOTERS

1/19/90

D E M 0 C R

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

5.423

9,555

36.243

48,033

35.465

26,538

35.8 15

197,072

0

2.75

4.85

18.39

24.37

18.00

13.47

18. 17

100.00

T H E R S

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

2,237

4.236

11.818

13,718

7.727

4.421

4.534

48.691

4.59

8.70

24.27

28. 17

15.87

9.08

9.31

1OO.OO

MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND

ABSENTEE BALLOTS RETURNED BY AGE GROUP AND PARTY 11/06/90G

A T S

ABSENTEES

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

582

196

271

477

54 1

607

1 .352

4.026

10.73

2.05

0. 74

0.99

1 .52

2.28

3.77

2.04

ABSENTEES

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

121

27

41

95

88

70

127

569

5.40

0.63

0.34

0.69

1.13

1 .58

2.80

1 . 16

*

*

• AGE

* GROUP

• UNDER 2 1

* 21-2 4

• 25-3 4

• 35-4 4

« 45-5 4

• 55-6 4

• OVER 64

*

* ALL VOTERS

*

*

*

• AGE

* GROUP

*

*

« UNDER 21

« 21-2 4

• 25-3 4

• 35-4 4

• 45-5 4

• 55-6 4

• OVER 64

• ALL VOTERS

R E P U B L I C A

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

4,836

9, 146

28.717

22,551

19,346

15.856

19.745

120.197

4 .02

7.61

23.89

18. 76

16. 10

13. 19

16.43

100.00

TOTAL S

REGISTERED

PERCENT

NUMBER OF TOTAL

12.496

22,937

76.778

84.302

62.538

46,815

60.094

365.960

3.41

6.27

20.98

23.04

17.09

12. 79

16.42

100.00

N S

PAGE * 557

ABSENTEES

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

319

99

196

218

324

405

710

2.271

6. 59

1 .08

0.68

0.96

1 .67

2.55

3.59

1 .88

ABSENTEES

PERCENT OF

NUMBER REGISTERED

1 .022

322

508

790

953

1 ,082

2, 189

6,866

8. 17

1 .40

0.66

0.93

1 .52

2.31

3.64

1 .87


For information about other

Innovations in Election Administration

contact

National Clearinghouse on Election Administration

Federal Election Commission

999 E. Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20463