Q

ACCEPTANCE

TESTING

www.eac.gov

October 2007

MANAGEMENT GUIDE
2

Th e Quick Start Management Guide for 

Acceptance Testing is part of a series of brochu

designed to highlight and summarize the 

information contained in the chapters of the U

Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Elect

Management Guidelines (EMG). Th e goal of 

the EMG is to provide a collection of election 

management guidelines, consolidated into one 

document, to assist State and local election 

offi cials eff ectively manage and administer 

elections. Th ese guidelines are solely designed 

to serve as a source of information for election 

offi cials and not as requirements by which the

must abide. Th e EAC expects the EMG to be 

completed in 2008. However, due to the urgen

need for election management resources, EMG 

chapters and Quick Starts are being released a

they are completed.

Th e content of the EMG and the Quick Start 

Management Guides has been developed in 

collaboration with State and local election 

offi cials and other election professionals who 

have fi rst-hand experience managing election

Th e EAC is grateful for their participation 

and ensuring the guidelines are practical and 

applicable for jurisdictions regardless of their s

and resources. Th e EMG and the Quick Start

are available online 

at www.eac.gov.

ACCEPTANCE TESTING
www.ea

INTRODUCTION

 Acceptance testing is one of the most important 

functions that local election jurisdictions perform. 

Acceptance tests provide assurance that newly 

acquired devices, as well as devices that had left 

your control and were returned, are functioning 

properly and are correctly confi gured for use in 

an election. 

 An acceptance test is a test that is performed on an 

individual device (i.e. a server, ballot scanner, or 

voting station) in a voting system to assure that the 

device is physically, mechanically, electronically, 

and functionally correct. Correct, in this sense, 

means that the device and its associated soft ware/

fi rmware are identical in every respect to the device 

that was originally certifi ed and purchased. 

 Acceptance testing is usually associated with the 

process of verifying that newly purchased devices 

conform to the purchase agreements and are 

identical to the NASED or EAC certifi ed device. 

However, an acceptance test should also be 

performed any time a device leaves your control 

and is returned. Example: If a device is sent out for 

repair and returned or if a device is loaned to a group 

or organization for demonstration purposes and 

returned, you should complete an acceptance test 

upon its return to your possession.

 Acceptance tests are conducted on individual 

devices such as touch screen voting stations, ballot 

scanners, etc. Th ese devices must be a component 

of an overall certifi ed voting system. A description 

of the devices that are part of your certifi ed voting 
4

system can be found on either the NASED Web 

site (http://www.nased.org) or the EAC Web site 

(http://www.eac.gov). Th ese descriptions list no

only the devices that make up the certifi ed votin

system, but also the specifi c soft ware/fi rmware 

versions that support the certifi ed system. You 

must have this information before beginning to 

conduct acceptance tests.

ACCEPTANCE TESTS

 Acceptance tests must be conducted either by or 

under the strict control of the jurisdiction’s elect

offi cial. Under no circumstance should acceptan

tests be conducted by a vendor.

 It is recommended that your offi ce maintain a 

complete record of every acceptance test that is 

conducted. Example: Prepare a checklist that ha

location for recording the date of the test, the type 

device being tested (i.e. ballot scanner, touch-scree

voting station, etc.), the serial number of the devic

the outcome of the test (i.e. passed, failed), the nam

of the person conducting the test, and a space for 

comments. When the test is completed, staple all 

printed test outputs to this sheet.

 Th e procedures for conducting acceptance tests 

may seem complicated and burdensome at fi rst. 

However, you will fi nd it easier and become mor

effi cient at it the more you conduct these tests an

familiarize yourself with the process. On averag

an experienced tester takes approximately fi ft een 

minutes (or less) to conduct an acceptance test o

typical device such as a touch-screen voting stati
www.ea

 Th ere are three distinct parts to an acceptance test: 

a test for physical damage, a diagnostic test, and a 

test for functional correctness. 

PHYSICAL ANALYSIS: Th is test is to assure that

the device is not physically damaged. Th is 

test includes:

 Inspection of the outer shell or case that 

contains the device. 

 Inspection of the latches and hinges on the 

outer shell or case.

 Inspection of all doors and locks.

 DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS: Th is test is to assure that all 

of the mechanical and electronic components 

of the device are operating correctly. Th is test 

includes:

 Tests of all input/output devices, such as card 

readers and printers.

 Tests of ballot feed paths.

 Tests of touch-screen calibration and intensity

 Tests of time, date selection.

 Tests of connections for external devices, such 

as earphones and handicap navigation devices

 FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS: Th is test is to assure that 

the correct versions of the soft ware/fi rmware are 

installed in the device and that the device will 

perform correctly during an election. Th is test 

consists of loading a mock election onto the 

device, casting a known pattern of votes, and 

then counting the votes and comparing the 

results with the known pattern.
6

GENERAL OUTLINE FOR

CONDUCTING AN ACCEPTANCE TE

 Th e following three sections provide a generic 

outline for conducting acceptance tests of the m

common devices found in an electronic voting 

system: ballot scanners, touch screen voting 

stations, and election management systems. Th e 

EAC has compiled specifi c Acceptance Test Scrip

for many of the currently used electronic voting 

system devices. To fi nd out if scripts are availabl

for your voting system, contact the EAC’s Direct

of Voting System Testing & Certifi cation at 

1-866-747-1471 (toll free) or via e-mail at 

HAVAinfo@eac.gov. 

OPTICAL SCAN BALLOT SCANNER

ACCEPTANCE TEST

MATERIALS REQUIRED. In addition to the following

you must know the correct version of the operat

system and/or fi rmware that was certifi ed for yo

ballot scanner:

1. A memory card or other device with the elect

setup for your acceptance test.

2. Password, manager card, or other device for 

gaining manager/administrator privilege on t

voting station.

3. A test set of pre-marked optical scan ballots.
www.ea

PHYSICAL ANALYSIS. Conduct the following with the 

ballot scanner turned OFF:

1. Examine the case and/or cover for cracks 

or dents.

2. Inspect latches, hinges, and wheels, if present.

3. Examine the legs and/or stand, if present.

4. Inspect the power cord and plug.

5. Verify that there is paper in the printer.

DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS. Conduct the following with 

the ballot scanner turned ON. Some of these tests 

may require manager/administrator privilege.

1. Turn the ballot scanner on, and as it boots up 

verify that the correct versions of the operating 

system and fi rmware are installed.

2. Verify that the date and time are correct.

3. Print a test output to verify that the printer is 

operating correctly.

4. Unplug the ballot scanner and verify that it will 

operate on battery power alone.

5. Verify that the battery charger will charge 

the battery.

6. Test all I/O ports and card slots (i.e. serial ports, 

voter card slots, etc.).
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS. Conduct the following with 

the ballot scanner turned ON ELECTION (TEST) MOD

Install the election setup for the test ballot, then:

1. Zero totals.

2. Print zero tape.

3. Use the pre-marked test set of ballots to 

accumulate a signifi cant number of ballots 

(at least 25) on the ballot scanner.

4. Close the election on the ballot scanner.

5. Print the results.

6. Verify the vote counts are correct.

7. Zero totals.

RECOMMENDATION: WHEN A BALLOT SCANNER SUCCESSF

PASSES YOUR ACCEPTANCE TEST, AFFIX TO THE BACK OR

UNDERSIDE OF THE BALLOT SCANNER A LABEL WITH THE

DATE OF THE TEST AND THE INITIALS OF THE PERSON THAT

CONDUCTED THE TEST.

8
www.ea

TOUCH SCREEN (TS) VOTING

STATION ACCEPTANCE TEST

MATERIALS REQUIRED. In addition to the following, 

you must know the correct version of operating 

system and/or fi rmware in your TS:

1. A memory card or other device with the ballot 

for your acceptance test.

2. A serial loop back connector, if the voting station 

is equipped with a serial port.

3. Voter cards or other device for activating the

voting station for a voter.

4. Manager card or other device for gaining 

manager/administrator privilege on the 

voting station.

PHYSICAL ANALYSIS. Conduct the following with the 

unit turned OFF:

1. Examine the case and/or cover for cracks 

or dents.

2. Inspect latches, hinges and wheels, if present.

3. Examine the legs and/or stand.

4. Inspect the power cord and plug.

5. Verify that there is paper in the printer.
10

 DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS. Conduct the following with 

the unit turned ON. Some of these tests may 

require manager/administrator privilege.

1. Turn the voting station on, and as it boots up 

verify that the correct operating system and 

fi rmware are installed.

2. Verify that the date and time are accurate and 

correct if necessary.

3. Verify the screen calibration and calibrate 

if necessary.

4. Print a test output to verify that the printer 

is operating correctly.

5. Examine the screen for condition and clarity.

6. Unplug the unit and verify that it will operate 

on battery power alone.

7. Verify that the battery charger will charge 

the battery.

8. Test all I/O ports and card slots (i.e. serial por

voter card slots, etc.).

FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS. Conduct the following with 

the unit turned ON ELECTION (TEST) MODE. Insert 

precinct election media for the test ballot, then:

1. Verify that the ballot loaded correctly and 

contains all contests and candidates.

2. Zero totals.

3. Print zero tape.

4. Manually enter one vote for each candidate 

or issue.

5. Verify that each candidate and issue has receiv

exactly one vote.
www.ea

6. If the TS voting station has a provision for 

automatic Logic & Accuracy (L&A), use this 

feature to enter a total of ballots that exceeds the 

number of ballots expected on the voting station 

in a typical election (usually about 150).

7. Close the election on the voting station.

8. Print the results.

9. Verify the vote counts are correct.

10. Zero totals.

RECOMMENDATION: WHEN A VOTING STATION SUCCESSFULLY

PASSES YOUR ACCEPTANCE TEST, AFFIX TO THE BACK OF THE

VOTING STATION A LABEL WITH THE DATE OF THE TEST AND

THE INITIALS OF THE PERSON CONDUCTING THE TEST.
12

ELECTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

ACCEPTANCE TEST

 Th is Acceptance Test is designed to verify that th

Election Management System (EMS) is correctly 

confi gured and operating properly. Acceptance 

tests should always be conducted on a new EMS 

prior to its use in an election. Also, acceptance t

should be conducted on an EMS that was return

aft er having left your control. Example: If the EM

computer is sent out for repair or if a new version 

of the operating system or the EMS is installed, an 

acceptance test should be conducted on the EMS a

soon as it is returned.

MATERIALS REQUIRED. In addition to the following

you must know the correct version of your 

operating system and your EMS. Th e following 

components of a voting system are required to 

complete the acceptance testing procedures:

1. One Computer with EMS installed.

2. If Touch Screen (TS) Voting Stations are used

 One TS Voting Station,

 One Blank TS Memory card/device,

 One TS Manager/Supervisor card/device, a

 One TS Voter card/device.

3. If Optical Scan (OS) Ballot Scanners are used

 One OS Ballot Scanner,

 One Blank OS Memory card/device, and

 One set of pre-marked OS test ballots with 

known vote totals. 
www.ea

4. All communications cables and devices 

necessary to connect the TS voting station and 

the OS ballot scanner to the EMS computer.

5. One blank storage device of the type used by 

your system to store the election setup.

6. One storage device containing your acceptance 

test election setup.

 IMPORTANT PREREQUISITES. Th e EMS computer system

consisting of items 1 through 4 above should have 

been setup and tested before beginning this test. 

(NOTE: It is OK to let your IT staff do this part 

of the setup because in the course of conducting 

the following acceptance test you are going to 

verify that everything has been setup correctly.)

 Th e TS voting stations and the OS Ballot 

Scanner should have previously completed 

acceptance testing. If not, run the TS Voting 

Station and the OS Ballot Scanner Acceptance 

Test on these units before beginning this test.

VERIFY CORRECT OPERATING SYSTEM AND EMS 

SOFTWARE. Turn on the EMS computer. As the 

computer boots up, verify that the correct versions 

of the operating system and the EMS soft ware are 

installed. Compute the hash codes for the EMS 

voting system soft ware and compare them with 

the values contained on the National Secure 

Reference Library’s (NSRL) Web site at 

(http://www.nsrl.nist.gov/votedata.html). 

Th e NSRL is a secure repository for soft ware 

off ered by the National Institute of Standards 

and Technology (NIST).
14

VERIFY EMS HARDWARE. Verify that all hardware 

components of the EMS computer are turned on 

and functioning properly. Th is includes checks of 

printer(s), communication devices, disk drives, etc

VERIFY EMS FUNCTIONALITY.

1. Load the EMS acceptance test database on the 

EMS computer.

2. Verify that the EMS will support the TS votin

station (if your system does not support TS 

voting stations go to step 3):

 Use the EMS to prepare the memory card 

or other device used to load the election 

defi nition into the TS voting station. 

 Load the election defi nition into the TS 

voting station.

 Open the election on the TS voting station.

 Cast votes on the TS voting station. Cast on

vote for each candidate or issue on the ballo

If the TS voting station has automatic L & A 

capability, use this feature to cast additional 

votes on the TS voting station.

 Close the election on the TS voting station.

 Print the vote totals on the TS voting station

 Use the standard method of transferring vo

from the TS voting station to the EMS syste

to load the votes from the TS voting station 

the EMS system.
www.ea

3. Verify that the EMS will support the OS Ballot 

Scanner:

 Use the EMS to prepare the memory card or 

other device that is used to load the election 

defi nition into the OS ballot scanner. 

 Load the election defi nition into the OS 

ballot scanner.

 Open the election on the OS ballot scanner.

 Use the pre-marked set of optical scan ballots 

to cast votes on the OS ballot scanner. 

 Close the election on the OS ballot scanner.

 Print the vote totals on the OS ballot scanner.

 Use the standard method of transferring votes 

from the OS ballot scanner to the EMS system 

to load the votes from the TS OS ballot 

scanner to the EMS system.

4. Verify Printed Outputs:

 Close the election on the EMS.

 Print all election reports from the EMS.

 Compare results from the EMS with results 

from the OS ballot scanner and/or the TS 

voting station.

RECOMMENDATION: WHEN YOUR ELECTION MANAGEMENT

SYSTEM SUCCESSFULLY PASSES THE ACCEPTANCE TEST, AFFIX TO

THE TOP OF THE COMPUTER CASE A LABEL WITH THE DATE OF

THE TEST AND THE INITIALS OF THE PERSON CONDUCTING

THE TEST.
www.eac.gov

FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THIS PUBLICATION OR

TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL COPIES, PLEASE CONTACT: 

U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

1225 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW, SUITE 1100 

WASHINGTON, DC 20005

ATTN: ELECTION MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES

TELEPHONE (202) 566-3100 (866) 747-1471 (TOLL FREE)

FAX (202) 566-3127

E-MAIL ADDRESS HAVAINFO@EAC.GOV

WEB SITE WWW.EAC.GOV

THE EAC IS AN INDEPENDENT BIPARTISAN COMMISSION CREATED B

THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002 (HAVA). IT IS CHARGE

WITH ADMINISTERING PAYMENTS TO STATES AND DEVELOPING

GUIDANCE TO MEET HAVA REQUIREMENTS, IMPLEMENTING ELECTIO

ADMINISTRATION IMPROVEMENTS, ADOPTING VOLUNTARY VOTING

SYSTEM GUIDELINES, ACCREDITING VOTING SYSTEM TEST LABORATOR

AND CERTIFYING VOTING EQUIPMENT AND SERVING AS A NATIONA

CLEARINGHOUSE AND RESOURCE OF INFORMATION REGARDING

ELECTION ADMINISTRATION.