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I became a poll worker to better understand election security, at the constant prodding of @mattblaze . Someone this morning asked "What happens to my ballot, how do I know it is counted" this morning, and this thread is an attempt to answer that question.
First I'll caveat that this is specific to Maryland, but other states work the same way, I got feedback from a Michigan poll worker that they have basically the same process. I'll also caveat that I haven't done this long, but I observed closely due to my own interest.
When you check in you are looked up in a poll book. I did not work the poll books. Where I worked the judges were split into poll book workers, and every other position. So I won't talk about this other than if your information checks out you are given a slip of paper.
The slip of paper has your voter information on it and which ballot specimen you should receive (meaning will you get a Republican ballot, a Democratic ballot, or an independent ballot, in primary elections and for which district).
When you walk up to get your ballot I'm there. I'll look at your slip and grab the correct ballot specimen, and direct you to either a BMD (ballot marking device) or booth to fill in your ballot. We'll talk about BMD's later.
Once you've marked your ballot you will walk toward the scanner. The election judge will take the slip of paper and tell you to put your ballot into the scanner. The scanner screen has a counter at the top. The number of slips of paper must match the counter at all times.
We keep the slips bundled in groups of 10 or 25 to make it easier to count and ensure they always match, which makes closing out the precinct much faster.
If you try to hand your ballot to the election judge at the scanner they may throw up their hands like you are pointing a gun at them. Typically we do not touch filled out ballots (except for spoiling or voter requested assistance). You put your own ballot into the scanner.
When you put your ballot in it is scanned, the votes are added to the machines tabulation, and the ballot is dropped into a box below. The counter increments.
At the end of the night the chief judges and election judges close down a precinct. There always have to be 2 chief judges from different major parties. The number of blank ballots must equal the total we had - # cast - # spoilt - # provisional.
Each scanner has itâs results printed out multiple times. One copy of the receipts are taped to the inside of the window of the precinct. Another copy is put into a sealed bag. Another goes to the county clerk. One to the probate judge. They are all signed by both chiefs.
The scanners have usb keys, they are behind locks and tamper tape. All tamper tape removed at close out is cataloged, there is a book of serial numbers, if any of the tape on a machine at closeout doesnât match what it was at open the machines ballots will be rescanned.
The USB keys are all cataloged and put in a bag with serial numbered locks, all cataloged by the chiefs (other election judges, such as myself are also present). All of the tally numbers on all of the scanners are added to the tally book.
All the ballot boxes are locked with serial numbered locks, with their respective voter slips added to the box. All of the lock serial numbers are added to the book. The chiefs take the USB bags, books, and unused ballots to the district office for tabulation.
Provisional ballots, if you show up and the poll book workers cannot verify your eligibility you can cast a provisional ballot but you may not put it in the scanner. They are in brightly colored envelopes and judges must physically block a provisional ballot from being scanned.
Spoiled ballots, when someone makes a mistake and cannot fix it we can spoil the ballot. It is scribbled over and put in a spoilt ballot envelope. You may only have 3 spoilt ballots before we ask you to use the BMD or get assistance.
The BMD = ballot marking device, for ADA folks, or those who want to use a computer, you mark your ballot electronically and it prints your ballot which then gets scanned by the same machine as everyone else. These ballots are auditable just as bubble filled ones are.
Maryland does not use DRE (Direct recording electronic) machines where there is no paper trail. These are widely believed to be too insecure by election security folks.
Scary videos of hacking scanning machines - People walk up to a scanning machine and have it in "setup" mode within a couple minutes. Yes, this is possible however ...
The threat is well mitigated - devices are never left alone, absolutely everything is tamper taped with recorded serial numbers, every number has to match at the end of the night, and the physical ballots still exist and can be rescanned if a machine has been tampered with.
Throughout the day watchers and challengers may be present. Non-partisan civil rights groups like the League of Women Voters are moving through the precincts mostly unnoticed by voters but they know what they are looking for and will flag things.
Some are registered âchallengersâ from a party, they can stand behind poll workers and watch. They can also challenge someones identity, in which case the chief may ask for ID from the voter (not normally required in MD). They aren't allowed to disrupt voting, however.
BTW you can sign up to be a poll watcher here: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/poll-watcher-qualifications.aspx
But I'd much rather you sign up to be a poll worker here:
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
But I'd much rather you sign up to be a poll worker here:
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
There are aspects of this I have no experience with and cannot share such as what happens at the district office with all the USB drives, and how audits are done, for all of that I refer you Matt Blaze and the publications here: https://mobile.twitter.com/mattblaze/status/1218243662854926337
One more thing that I forgot. At opening time all of the scanners have their receipts printed and must show zero, meaning no votes have been cast. Each zero receipt is taped to the door of the precinct where watchers, and election officials can come by and validate.
