Patent ID: 8261984

Claim:
A system for processing a plurality of ballots having one or more voting selections marked thereon, comprising: an input area configured to receive a plurality of ballots to be processed, wherein the input area comprises an imaging device operable to produce an image of each of the ballots; a processor electrically coupled to the imaging device and operable to process the image of each of the ballots to determine the voting selections marked thereon; an output area configured to store the processed ballots, wherein the output area comprises a plurality of output bins and a diverter operable to divert each of the ballots into one of the output bins based on instructions received from the processor; a transport path operable to transport each of the ballots from the input area to the output area, wherein the transport path comprises a planar section positioned between a first curve section and a second curve section so as to form a generally S-shaped path, and wherein the length of the transport path allows each of the ballots to be processed prior to reaching the output area; and a plurality of sensors each of which is positioned adjacent to the transport path for tracking each of the ballots between the input area and the output area.