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Home for pre-election tests Wisconsin Statutes on Pre-Election tests Wisconsin Election Administration Manual on pre-election testing Administrative Rules	Pre-Election Testing of Voting Machines Wisconsin Election Administration Manual has this regarding pre-election and pre-recount testing of voting machines. It starts on page 73 in the Voting Equipment Chapter. Pre-Election Electronic Voting Equipment Testing Wisconsin statutes require that all municipalities test the software of electronic voting equipment for correctness and accuracy. The purpose of testing electronic voting equipment is to ensure that the equipment will correctly tabulate votes for all offices and referenda. Public Notice The testing of electronic voting equipment, either DRE or optical scan equipment, shall be open to the public. 1. The test may not be conducted earlier than ten (10) days before Election Day. 2. Public notice of the time and location of the testing shall be given by the clerk at least 48 hours before. Procedure In order to conduct a pre-election test for accuracy, the municipal clerk must create a test deck, which is a plan detailing a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each referendum. The test deck should reflect all of the required testing components described in this section. 1. Optical Scan Equipment. a. Ballots should be marked to reflect a pre-determined number of valid votes for each candidate and referendum. b. Pre-marked ballots shall be run through the optical scan voting unit. c. The actual tabulation of the pre-marked ballots shall then be compared to the pre-determined number to verify the voting equipment is tabulating properly. 2. Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) Equipment. a. Votes shall be cast on the DRE unit in a manner reflecting a pre-determined number of valid votes for each candidate and referendum. b. The print out of the tabulation of the votes cast shall then be compared to the pre-determined number to verify the voting equipment is tabulating properly. c. At least two individuals should participate in the DRE test to ensure votes selected on the test deck are entered correctly in the voting system. 3. Errorless Count Requirement. a. If an error is detected during the testing, the municipal clerk shall determine the cause and correct the error. b. The clerk must make an errorless count before the electronic tabulating equipment is approved by the clerk for use in the election. Note: The Elections Board recommends that municipalities formulate a test desk that is unique to the municipality, and refrain from using test desks provided by the vendor or manufacturer. This is to ensure any errors not discovered by the vendor will be uncovered by the clerk during the test. Examples of sample test decks are available on the agency website. Testing Components Requirement 1. Each candidate for every office, for every party, needs to be tested. 2. Overvotes need to be tested for every office and ballot measure on the ballot. a. Overvotes are votes in excess of the number allowed by law. b. Overvotes shall be rejected by the voting equipment. 3. Blank Ballots. a. Blank ballots are ballots that have no votes recorded. b. A blank ballot shall be tested to ensure that they are rejected by the voting equipment and notify the elector that no votes have been recorded. 4. Write-in votes. a. On DRE equipment, the write-in function for each office shall be tested to ascertain that it is functioning properly. b. On optical scan voting equipment it shall be tested to determine that ballots containing write-in votes for each office are properly separated into the write-in bin. 5. September Partisan Primary The clerk shall test for one or more ballots that have votes cast for a candidate of more than one recognized party are rejected. 6. November General Election The clerk shall test that the straight party function is properly working and that votes cast outside the selected party are tabulated correctly. Election Day Zero-Count Requirement Before any ballots on Election Day have been cast on the electronic voting equipment, the election officials shall witness a test of the tabulation component by engaging the printing mechanism and securing a printed result showing a zero count for every candidate and referendum. Contact Paul Malischke about broken links, if the status is not up to date, or with your comments. Last updated Thursday, February 07, 2008

Pre-Election Testing of Voting Machines

Wisconsin Election Administration Manual has this regarding pre-election and pre-recount testing of voting machines. It starts on page 73 in the Voting Equipment Chapter.

Pre-Election Electronic Voting Equipment Testing

Wisconsin statutes require that all municipalities test the software of electronic voting equipment for correctness and accuracy. The purpose of testing electronic voting equipment is to ensure that the equipment will correctly tabulate votes for all offices and referenda.

Public Notice

The testing of electronic voting equipment, either DRE or optical scan equipment, shall be open to the public.

1. The test may not be conducted earlier than ten (10) days before Election Day.

2. Public notice of the time and location of the testing shall be given by the clerk at least 48 hours before.

Procedure

In order to conduct a pre-election test for accuracy, the municipal clerk must create a test deck, which is a plan detailing a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each referendum. The test deck should reflect all of the required testing components described in this section.

1. Optical Scan Equipment.

a. Ballots should be marked to reflect a pre-determined number of valid votes for each candidate and referendum.

b. Pre-marked ballots shall be run through the optical scan voting unit.

c. The actual tabulation of the pre-marked ballots shall then be compared to the pre-determined number to verify the voting equipment is tabulating properly.

2. Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) Equipment.

a. Votes shall be cast on the DRE unit in a manner reflecting a pre-determined number of valid votes for each candidate and referendum.

b. The print out of the tabulation of the votes cast shall then be compared to the pre-determined number to verify the voting equipment is tabulating properly.

c. At least two individuals should participate in the DRE test to ensure votes selected on the test deck are entered correctly in the voting system.

3. Errorless Count Requirement.

a. If an error is detected during the testing, the municipal clerk shall determine the cause and correct the error.

b. The clerk must make an errorless count before the electronic tabulating equipment is approved by the clerk for use in the election.

Note: The Elections Board recommends that municipalities formulate a test desk that is unique to the municipality, and refrain from using test desks provided by the vendor or manufacturer. This is to ensure any errors not discovered by the vendor will be uncovered by the clerk during the test. Examples of sample test decks are available on the agency website.

Testing Components Requirement

1. Each candidate for every office, for every party, needs to be tested.

2. Overvotes need to be tested for every office and ballot measure on the ballot.

a. Overvotes are votes in excess of the number allowed by law.

b. Overvotes shall be rejected by the voting equipment.

3. Blank Ballots.

a. Blank ballots are ballots that have no votes recorded.

b. A blank ballot shall be tested to ensure that they are rejected by the voting equipment and notify the elector that no votes have been recorded.

4. Write-in votes.

a. On DRE equipment, the write-in function for each office shall be tested to ascertain that it is functioning properly.

b. On optical scan voting equipment it shall be tested to determine that ballots containing write-in votes for each office are properly separated into the write-in bin.

5. September Partisan Primary

The clerk shall test for one or more ballots that have votes cast for a candidate of more than one recognized party are rejected.

6. November General Election

The clerk shall test that the straight party function is properly working and that votes cast outside the selected party are tabulated correctly.

Election Day Zero-Count Requirement

Before any ballots on Election Day have been cast on the electronic voting equipment, the election officials shall witness a test of the tabulation component by engaging the printing mechanism and securing a printed result showing a zero count for every candidate and referendum.

Contact Paul Malischke about broken links, if the status is not up to date, or with your comments. Last updated Thursday, February 07, 2008