Ballot sets and method of printing ballots

Abstract: A set of ballots (10 to 16) is provided, each ballot (10 to 16) having a number of names (A to D) marked on it. In one embodiment, the positions of the names (A to D) vary from ballot to ballot so that each name (A to D) appears in a given location (22 to 28) on generally an equal number of ballots (10 to 16) in the set. In another embodiment of the invention, the sequence of names (A to D) also varies from ballot to ballot so that any name (A to D) appears adjacent another name (A to D) on generally an equal number of ballots (32 to 42) in the set. Methods are provided for producing such sets of ballots (10 to 16, 32 to 42).

Description: This invention relates generally to improvements in ballots for use in the electoral process and a method for producing such ballots. Studies have shown that a large percentage of voters who are ill-informed as to the candidates in an election tend to mark the names listed toward the top of the ballot, rather than those listed toward the bottom. This frustrates the democratic process as persons whose names appear at the top of the list are preferentially selected over those whose names appear at the bottom. Since many elections are won or lost by only a few votes, the bias introduced by this effect can be major. Furthermore, candidates names are not infrequently listed alphabetically on ballots. Accordingly, persons whose last names begin with, for example, the letters A or B would have their names appearing toward the top of the ballot and would tend to be preferentially picked by ill-advised voters over persons whose names begin, for example, with the letters T or W. Ill-advised voters further tend to be influenced not only by the position of a candidate's name relative to the ballot but also relative to the other names on the ballot. For example, if there is one outstanding candidate, voters tend to prefer candidates whose names are adjacent that outstanding candidate. Similarly, if there is a particular candidate which a majority of voters would tend to avoid, ill-informed voters would tend also not to choose a candidate whose name appears adjacent to the one being avoided. The prior art, including US Patent No. 4,807,908 for a ballot for use in an automatic tallying apparatus, fails to address the potential bias described above, since every ballot lists the candidate's names in the same sequence. It would be desirable to be able to reduce or eliminate this bias. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing sets of ballots, said method comprising the steps of: i) receiving in each one of a plurality of discrete locations on each ballot the name of one candidate, and ii) repeating said step (i) so as to produce a said group of ballots, the method being characterised by: iii) the candidate name received in each said location in each ballot of said group being different from the candidate name received in said location in each other ballot of said group, and, iv) producing a desired number of said groups, said groups together forming a set of ballots. Preferably, a sufficient number of groups of said ballots is produced so that, in the ballots of said set taken collectively, each candidate's name appears substantially an equal number of times in each of said discrete locations. Additionally or alternatively, a sufficient number of groups of said ballots may be produced so that, in the ballots of said set taken collectively, each of said names appears adjacent each other of said names generally an equal number of times. The sets of ballots may be produced by programme means, computer means and printer means. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a group of ballots in which each ballot has a plurality of discrete locations in each of which is received the name of one candidate, a number of said ballots forming a group of ballots, characterised in that the candidate names received in said location in each ballot in said group is different from the candidate name received in said location in each other ballot in said group, and there are a number of said groups of ballots forming a set of ballots, said number being sufficient so that, taken collectively, the name of each candidate appears generally an equal number of times in each of said discrete locations, whereby to reduce the effect of possible voter tendency to check a particular location such as the top of the ballot when a voter marks said ballot. Preferably each of said names appears adjacent each other of said names on generally an equal number of ballots in said set, whereby to reduce the effect of possible voter tendency to avoid or prefer names adjacent to a given name. According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing sets of ballots, said method comprising the steps of: i) printing in each one of a plurality of discrete locations on each ballot the name of one candidate, and ii) repeating said step so as to produce a group of ballots, the method being characterised by: iii) printing a first ballot in which the names of the candidates appear in said plurality of discrete locations in a given sequence; iv) printing a second ballot in which the names of the candidates appear in said plurality of discrete locations in a different sequence from the first ballot; v) repeating step iv) until all the permutations of said different sequences are exhausted thereby to produce a group of ballots; vi) repeating steps iii) to v) until a desired number of groups of ballots have been printed, and viii) collating said ballots into a set of ballots. For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments of the present invention and in which: Figure 1 illustrates the front of four individual ballots of a bundle of ballots provided according to the first aspect of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates six ballots of a bundle of ballots produced according to the further aspect of the present invention; and, Figure 3 is a diagramatical representation of a system for carrying out a method according to the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, there are shown four ballots identified by reference numbers 10, 12, 14 and 16. Each ballot is divided into two adjacent columns, 18 and 20 respectively. The columns are divided into four rows, 22, 24, 26 and 28 respectively. The rows 22 through 28 of the columns 18 each contain one of the letters A, B, C, or D marked thereon. Each of these letters denotes the name of a different candidate on the ballot. Each row 22, 24, 26 and 28 of column 18 on each ballot 10, 12, 14 and 16, represents a different discrete location on the ballot. Rows 22, 24, 26 and 28 of column 20 are left blank for insertion of a mark by the voter to indicate which candidate they have selected. Comparing ballot 10 to ballot 12, it can be seen that the last three letters of ballot 10, namely, B, C and D, have been shifted one row upward to the position in ballot 12 and the first letter, A, has been shifted from the top row to the bottom row. This pattern of shifting the last three letters upward one row and moving the letter occupying the top row to the bottom row is further repeated in going from ballot 12 to ballot 14 and again from ballot 14 to ballot 16. In this manner, each of the letters A, B, C and D appears once in each of the discrete locations defined by rows 22, 24, 26 and 28 of column 18 in this group of four ballots. Each bundle of ballots would contain an equal number of ballots according to ballot number 10, 12, 14 and 16 arranged in sequential order. As each candidate's name appears on the top of a ballot, an equal number of times, the names in effect rotate on the ballot. This eleminates any bias caused by the unconscious tendency of the ill-informed to select the candidate whose name appears at the top of the ballot. Although only four letters, each of which represents a candidate's name, are illustrated on the ballots of Figure 1, it will be appreciated that this system is readily adaptable to any number of candidates' names. Referring still to Figure 1, it can be seen that despite the rotation of names, the sequential order of names remains the same. For example, the letter C is always adjacent at least one of the letters B or D and is never adjacent the letter A. Similarly, the letter A is always adjacent one of the letters D or B and never adjacent the letter C, and so forth. Accordingly, if the candidate whose name is represented by the letter A would be particularly undesirable to a large number of voters, and if ill-informed voters are disinclined to select a candidate whose name appears adjacent the name of this undesirable candidate, then such ill-informed voters would be more inclined to pick the candidate represented by the letter C over either of the candidates represented by letters D or B respectively. In this manner, the candidate represented by letter C has an unfair advantage over the candidate represented by letters B or D respectively. Figure 2 illustrates six ballots, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 respectively, each of which has a different sequence of candidates' names represented by letters A, B, C and D, thereon. In the six ballots, the letter A appears adjacent each of the remaining letters B, C and D two times. If each of the six sequences shown on ballots 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 is rotated four times as discussed above concerning the ballots of Figure 1, twenty-four ballots will be produced in which each candidate's name will occupy a given one of the four rows 22, 24, 26, or 28 of column 18 an equal number of times and as well, each candidate's name will be adjacent another candidate's name an equal number of times. The set of ballots will contain an equal number of each of these twenty- four different ballots. Sets of ballots, according to the present invention, can be produced by separately printing batches of ballots corresponding to each desired arrangement of names and subsequently collating the ballots into groups. In each group, each ballot representing a different arrangement. With this method, any desired number of groups can be compiled to form a set of ballots containing a desired number of ballots. Alternatively, the ballots can be printed sequentially with each subsequent ballot having a different arrangement of names thereon until all of the permutations have been exhausted at which point the cycle would again be repeated. One way of accomplishing this latter method is to program the sequence of names into a computer which controls a printer, such as a laser printer. The computer would then drive the laser printer to print out the ballots in sequence. A further refinement of the latter method is, as diagrammatically indicated in Figure 3, to enter an appropriate program 50 into a computer 52 which is connected to a printer (e.g. a laser printer) 54. The program 50 functions such that when a series of names is entered into a computer, the program arranges the names in all possible combinations, as shown in Figure 2, so that each name appears adjacent each other name an equal number of times. The program then causes the names to be rotated so that in addition, each name appears in each location generally an equal number of times. The computer then directs the printer 54 to print sets of ballots meeting the above explained criteria. The sets of ballots emerge into a paper tray 56 and are repeated until a desired number of ballots has been printed. Variations and modifications to the present invention may be apparent to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present claims.

Claims: A method of producing sets of ballots (10 to 16), said method comprising the steps of: i) receiving in each one of a plurality of discrete locations (22 to 28) on each ballot the name (A to D) of one candidate, and ii) repeating said step (i) so as to produce a group of ballots, the method being characterised by: iii) the candidate name (A to D) received in each said location (22 to 28) in each ballot (10 to 16) of said group being different from the candidate name (A to D) received in said location (22 to 28) in each other ballot (10 to 16) of said group, and, iv) producing a desired number of said groups, said groups together forming a set of ballots. A method according to claim 1 wherein a sufficient number of groups of said ballots (10 to 16) is produced so that, in the ballots of said set taken collectively, each candidate's name (A to D) appears substantially an equal number of times in each of said discrete locations (22 to 28). A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a sufficient number of groups of said ballots (10 to 16) is produced so that, in the ballots of said set taken collectively, each of said names (A to D) appears adjacent each other of said names (A to D) generally an equal number of times. A method according to claim 1 wherein said set of ballots (10 to 16) is produced by programme means (50), computer means (52) and printer means (54). A group of ballots (10 to 16) in which each ballot (10 to 16) has a plurality of discrete locations (22 to 28) in each of which is received the name (A to D) of one candidate, a number of said ballots forming a group of ballots, characterised in that the candidate names (A to D) received in said locations (22 to 28) in each ballot (10 to 16) in said group is different from the candidate name (A to D) received in said location (22 to 28) in each other ballot (10 to 16) in said group, and there are a number of said groups of ballots forming a set of ballots, said number being sufficient so that, taken collectively, the name (A to D) of each candidate appears generally an equal number of times in each of said discrete locations (22 to 28), whereby to reduce the effect of possible voter tendency to check a particular location such as the top of the ballot (10 to 16) when a voter marks said ballot. A set of ballots according to claim 5 wherein each of said names (A to D) appears adjacent each other of said names (A to D) on generally an equal number of ballots (10 to 16) in said set, whereby to reduce the effect of possible voter tendency to avoid or prefer names adjacent to a given name. A method of producing sets of ballots (10 to 16), said method comprising the steps of: i) printing in each one of a plurality of discrete locations (22 to 28) on each ballot (10 to 16) the name (A to D) of one candidate, and ii) repeating said step (i) so as to produce a group of ballots (10 to 16), the method being characterised by: iii) printing a first ballot (10 to 16) in which the names (A to D) of the candidates appear in said plurality of discrete locations in a given sequence; iv) printing a second ballot (10 to 16) in which the names (A to D) of the candidates appear in said plurality of discrete locations in a different sequence from the first ballot; v) repeating step iv) until all the permutations of said different sequences are exhausted thereby to produce a group of ballots (10 to 16); vi) repeating steps iii) to v) until a desired number of groups of ballots (10 to 16) have been printed, and viii) collating said ballots (10 to 16) into a set of ballots.

Inventors: TENENBAUM HARVEY, TENENBAUM JUDITH, TENENBAUM, HARVEY, TENENBAUM, JUDITH
Applicants: TENENBAUM HARVEY, TENENBAUM JUDITH, TENENBAUM, HARVEY, TENENBAUM, JUDITH
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B42D15
IPC codes: B42D15