Patent ID: 8814045

Claim:
A voting station configured to operate in a tethered mode in which the voting station is connected to a tabulation device and a standalone mode in which the voting station operates as a standalone unit, comprising: a transport mechanism that receives an activation card; a display that displays to a voter at least one election contest, wherein the display also displays to the voter an electronic vote option and a return activation card option when the voting station operates in the tethered mode; an input device that receives from the voter at least one voting selection corresponding to the election contest, wherein the input device also receives from the voter an instruction corresponding to a choice between the electronic vote option and the return activation card option when the voting station operates in the tethered mode; a printer that prints the voting selection on the activation card; and a processor that (1) electronically transmits the voting selection to the tabulation device when the voting station operates in the tethered mode and the input device receives an instruction corresponding to the electronic vote option, (2) instructs the transport mechanism to return the activation card with the voting selection printed thereon to the voter when the voting station operates in the tethered mode and the input device receives an instruction corresponding to the return activation card option, and (3) instructs the transport mechanism to return the activation card with the voting selection printed thereon to the voter when the voting station operates in the standalone mode.