Source: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/advisory2012-03.shtml
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 06:53:30+00:00

Document:
Pursuant to Section 122.001(c) of the Texas Election Code, the Office of the Secretary of State prescribes the following procedures for use of Electronic Voting Systems.
Acceptance Testing (Reference: Texas Election Code (TEC), Chapter 129.021).
Perform a Logic and Accuracy Test simulating a mock election for your jurisdiction, if this is a system your jurisdiction has never used.
Election Set-up and Definition (Reference: TEC, § 125).
Program and configure election management system software, direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machine, electronic ballot marker, optical scan, and any other devices used in an election, as applicable to your jurisdiction.
Verify straight-party associations to appropriate candidates in applicable elections.
As part of a Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan, back-up your election programming at various stages of the election definition process.
Election setup materials shall be secured by limiting access to the person or persons so authorized in writing by the county clerk and/or election official.
Any audit logs and ballot definition files created shall be included with retention material for that election.
Voting System Testing (Reference: TEC, Chapters 125, 127 and 129).
Hardware Diagnostic Test (Reference: TEC § 129.022).
The Public Logic and Accuracy Test shall be open to representatives of the press and the public. (Reference: TEC, § 129.023(b)).
The predetermined results must be pre-calculated from the Test Ballots to allow comparison after the votes are tallied. (Reference: TEC, § 129.023(c)(10)).
(Optical Scan Only) Optical Scan Equipment must be tested as prescribed in TEC Ch. 127, Subchapters D and F. Pursuant to TEC § 127.094(e) the design of the test ballots must also include the design in Section 3(c)(i)(4) of this advisory.
All test materials, when not in use, shall be kept in a container with a uniquely identified tamper-resistant or tamper-evident seal. The general custodian of election records and at least two members of the Testing Board shall sign the seal. (Reference: TEC § 129.024).
The container may not be unsealed unless the contents are necessary to conduct a test under Ch. 129, Subchapter B or a criminal investigation, election contest, or other official proceeding under the Election Code. If the container is unsealed, the general custodian of election records shall reseal the contents when not in use.(Reference: TEC § 129.024(c)).
The test materials shall remain sealed for the period for preserving the precinct election records. (Reference: TEC § 129.024(b)).
Post-Election Audit (Partial Manual Count) (Reference: TEC, Chapter 127).
This section does not apply to the tabulation of electronic voting system results for a voting system that uses direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machines.
Central Accumulator System Procedures, if applicable.
Testing Central Accumulator System (Reference: TEC, Chapter 127).
The tabulation supervisor and counting station manager of the central accumulator system shall prepare and conduct the test jointly.
The test shall be conducted as part of the Logic and Accuracy testing stated in Section 3(c).
The general custodian of election records shall publish notice of the date, hour, and place of the test conducted under TEC § 127.093(b) in a newspaper, as provided by general law for official publications by political subdivisions, at least 48 hours before the date of the test. (This is the same notice as your public L&A test. Recommendation: An internal L&A test should be done soon after the programming and proofing of your election is complete. This will provide you time to make corrections as necessary and be better prepared for the public L&A test).
A test is successful if a perfect count of the electronic files, that contain the cast vote records (ballot images) and/or device results, is obtained and the central accumulator system otherwise functions properly during the counting of the test electronic files.
On completion of the test, the counting station manager or tabulation supervisor shall place the test electronic files, or a copy of the test electronic files, and other test materials in a container provided for that purpose and seal the container so it cannot be opened without breaking the seal. The counting station manager and tabulation supervisor, and not more than two watchers, if one or more watchers are present, shall sign the seal or seal log, as applicable. The watchers must be of opposing interests, when possible.
The counting station manager is the custodian of the test materials until they are delivered to the general custodian of election records.
Election Night Verification when central accumulator system is used to consolidate the vote results.
After uploading the precinct results to the central accumulator system, the election official must verify and document that the central accumulator’s record of number of votes cast matches the number of signatures on the combination form. If there is a discrepancy, the Presiding Judge of the Counting Station determines if a further audit is necessary.
Post-Election Verification when central accumulator system is used to consolidate the vote results.
If there is any discrepancy in the comparison, the results tape from the precinct level shall constitute the official results.
Any political subdivision that utilizes modem transfer of election results for the purpose of being combined with other such tabulations to produce complete returns shall establish procedures to reconcile received tabulations to transmitted tabulations so that no deviation can go undetected.
Personnel Security (Reference: TEC § 129.051(g)).
Employees authorized by the county clerk or election official to prepare or maintain the voting system or election setup materials shall be deputized by the county clerk or election official for this specific purpose and so sworn, with the following oaths, prior to the first election of the calendar year in which they will be performing one or more of these activities.
The general custodian of election records shall conduct a criminal background check for relevant election officials, staff, and temporary workers upon hiring. For further information on this process, please see Election Advisory No. 2012-02.
All electronic media (e.g., memory cards, compact flash card, PCMCIA card, PEBs, voter card encoders, supervisor cards, and key cards) shall have an external permanent unique identifier (e.g., numbers, letters, or combination of numbers and letters). The identifier can be either etched or printed on a tamper resistant label. (Recommendation: include a barcode on the label, which will make it more efficient to inventory). (Reference: TEC § 129.051).
Storage and Transport of Voting System Equipment (Reference: TEC § 129.052).
The general custodian of election records shall adopt procedures for securely storing and a secure method for transporting voting device equipment. This shall include procedures that are to be used at locations outside the direct control of the general custodian of election records, such as overnight storage at a polling location.
Restrict Access to Voting Systems (Reference: TEC § 129.053).
Prohibit the Use of Network Connections and Restrictions on Wireless Technology (Reference: TEC § 129.054).
Restrict Usage of Voting System Computers (Reference: TEC § 129.055).
Plan for Machine Failure (Reference: TEC § 129.056).
Polling Place Preparation and Procedures.
Periodically check for evidence of tampering on voting equipment during the election. For example, make sure the uniquely identified tamper-resistant or tamper-evident seal is still intact. (Reference: TEC § 125.005).
If a DRE malfunctions during voting and there have been votes cast on that machine, extra precaution should be taken to protect the cast vote records (ballot images) and audit logs stored on that DRE. Secure the equipment and document the chain of custody when transporting the equipment to another location. (Reference: TEC § 125.006).
If the early voting device is being moved to another temporary location, the instructions listed in Sec. 5) c) of this document should be followed.
Automatic Recount (Reference: TEC, Chapter 216).
Requested Recount on DRE Voting Systems (Pursuant to TEC § 214.071).
Requested Recount on Optical Scan Voting Systems (See TEC, Chapter 214, Subchapter C).
From SERVO’s “Backup and Reset Menu,” select “eSlate” and the event associated with the data to be backed up. Using the Quatech or parallel cable, connect the SERVO computer to a JBC, and then power on the JBC. Connect the JBC’s gray serial cable to the eSlate to be backed up; wait 12 seconds for the eSlate to fully power on, and then click once on the box to the left of Download Logs. Wait ten seconds after you hear the “ding” to uncheck Download Logs, and then disconnect the cable from the back of the eSlate. Repeat for all eSlates. This process also stores the public serial number and the firmware version of the eSlate in the SERVO database if it has not already been stored.
Recorded information that allows election officials to view the steps that occurred on the equipment included in an election to verify or reconstruct the steps followed without compromising the ballot or voter secrecy.
Electronically produced record of all votes cast by a single voter.
Permanent record of all votes produced by a single voter whether in electronic or paper copy form. Used for counting votes. Also referred to as ballot image when used to refer to electronic ballots.
Part of an Election Management System that tabulates and/or consolidates the vote totals for multiple precincts/devices.
Commercial, readily available hardware devices (which may be electrical, electronic, mechanical, etc.; such as card readers, printers, or personal computers) or software products (such as operating systems, programming language compilers, database management systems, subsystems, components; software, etc.).
A device for storing data. It usually refers to permanent (non-volatile) storage, that is, the data will remain stored when power is removed from the device; unlike semiconductor RAM. Recording can be done mechanically, magnetically, or optically.
Voting system that records votes by means of a ballot display provided with mechanical or electro-optical components that can be actuated by the voter, that processes the data by means of a computer program, and that records voting data and cast vote records in internal and/or external memory components. It produces a tabulation of the voting data stored in a removable memory component and/or imprinted copy.
Set of processing functions and databases within a voting system that define, develop and maintain election databases, perform election definition and setup functions, format ballots, count votes, consolidate and report results, and maintain audit trails.
Computer programs (software) stored in read-only memory (ROM) devices embedded in the system and not capable of being altered during system operation.
Testing of the tabulator setups of a new election definition to ensure that the content correctly reflects the election being held (i.e., contests, candidates, number to be elected, ballot styles, etc.) and that all voting positions can be voted for the maximum number of eligible candidates and that results are accurately tabulated and reported.
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association – a portable computer card.
Counter in a voting device that counts the votes cast in a single election.
A Results Tape is the tape that is printed when the polls close. It is called a Results Tape since all contests and propositions are listed and have the resulting votes next to each name or question.
Any apparatus by which votes are registered electronically.
The integrated mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic equipment and software required to program, control, and support the equipment that is used to define ballots; to cast and count votes; to report and/or display election results; and to maintain and produce all audit log information.
A Zero Tape is the tape that is printed when the voting machine is first set up at the polls. It is called a Zero Tape since all contests or propositions should have zero votes next to each name or question.

References: § 125
 § 129
 § 129
 § 129
 § 127
 § 129
 § 129
 § 129
 § 127
 § 129
 § 129
 § 129
 § 129
 § 129
 § 129
 § 129
 § 125
 § 125
 § 214