Voting machine and method

Claim 2

An electronic voting machine comprising: a. at least one voting panel of vote casting elements which are operable by a voter between a ''''no vote'''' condition and ''''vote'''' condition, each of said conditions having distinct electrical characteristics; b. indicia associated with each element identifying it with a predetermined vote; c. a centralized vote totalizer operably connected to each panel, said totalizer including a memory which is programmed with a ballot of the vote, ballot scan control circuitry responsive to said program which controls the detection of the condition of said elements and interlock circuitry responsive to said program which prevents improper votes; d. a scanning circuit associated with each panel and operably connected to each element of said panels and to said ballot scan control circuitry which periodically scans each element and is responsive to said electrical characteristics whereby the condition of each element is detected and reported to said totalizer wherein the condition is checked through said interlock circuitry to determine whether said condition represents a proper vote and, at the time the vote is cast, each proper vote is stored in the memory; and e. power means for supplying electrical power at a predetermined voltage to said machine.

Claim 3

A voting machine according to claim 1 in which: f. there is a plurality of said panels; and g. all of the elements on one of said panels are scanned by said scanning circuit before the scanning of another of said panels is commenced.

Claim 4

A voting machine according to claim 1 in which: f. there is a plurality of said panels; g. all of said elements similarly positioned on each of said panels are scanned by said scanning circuit before the scanning of the elements at another position on said panels is commenced.

Claim 5

A voting machine as in claim 1 in which: f. said element includes: i. a normally open reed switch, ii. a source of a magnetic field adjacent said switch; and iii. a magnetic shield positionable to shield said switch from said source in the ''''no vote'''' condition of said element and removable therefrom by operation of said voter to permit said switch to be closed by said magnetic field thereby causing said element to be in its ''''vote'''' condition.

Claim 6

A voting machine according to claim 1 in which: f. said memory stores the total number of proper votes reported at each element during an election; and g. said totalizer includes a vote countinG circuit which removes said total number from said memory, increases its magnitude by one unit, and stores this new total number in said memory in response to the detecting by said scanning circuit of an additional proper vote reported at said element.

Claim 7

A voting machine as in claim 5 in which: h. said vote counting circuit is only activated in response to a signal from said voter signifying the completion of his voting.

Claim 8

A voting machine according to claim 1 including: f. a programmer operably connected to the totalizer for transferring data respecting the ballot of the vote into said memory.

Claim 9

A voting machine according to claim 1 including: f. separate notification means located on said panel and on said totalizer and responsive to said interlock circuitry for notifying the voter and an election official stationed at said totalizer of an improper vote.

Claim 10

A voting machine according to claim 1 including: f. resetting means operable by an election official for resetting each of said elements to its ''''no vote'''' condition upon the completion of voting by said voter.

Claim 11

A voting machine according to claim 1 including: f. power failure circuitry responsive to the voltage of said electrical power for suspending all functions of said machine and for supplying information respecting the state of said machine to said memory means for storage therein upon a predetermined variation of said power from said predetermined voltage.

Claim 12

A voting machine according to claim 1 including: f. a printer connected to said totalizer to print out said information respecting the total number of proper votes cast at each of said elements.

Claim 13

A voting machine according to claim 1 including: f. means for opening the polls prior to an election by activating said machine and for closing the polls subsequent to an election by deactivating said machine.

Claim 14

A voting machine according to claim 12 in which: g. said polls opening and closing means is connected to said memory to report and store therein information respecting the opening and closing of said polls; and including h. means responsive to said memory for disabling said polls opening and closing means to prevent the reopening of said polls after said polls have been opened and then closed during an election.

Claim 15

A electronic voting machine comprising: a. at least one pair of back-to-back voting booths, the booths of each said pair having a common back wall, opposed, spaced side walls and a curtain-covered front through which a voter may enter said booth; b. a voting panel of vote casting elements which are operable by a voter between a ''''no vote'''' condition and ''''vote'''' condition, each of said conditions having distinct electrical characteristics, mounted on said back wall of each booth; c. indicia associated with each element identifying it with a predetermined vote; d. a centralized vote totalizer operably connected to each panel, said totalizer including a memory which is programmed with a ballot of the vote, ballot scan control circuitry responsive to said program which controls the detection of the condition of said elements and interlock circuitry responsive to said program which prevents improper votes; e. a scanning circuit associated with each panel and operably connected to each element of said panels and to said ballot scan control circuitry which periodically scans each element and is responsive to said electrical characteristics whereby the condition of each element is detected and reported to said totalizer wherein the condition is checked through said interlock circuitry to determine whether said conditions represent a proper vote, and, at the time the vote is cast, each proper vote is stored in the memory; and f. power means for supplying electrical power at a predetermined voltage to said machine.

Claim 16

A electronic voting machine comprising: a. at least one pair of back-to-back voting booths, the booths of each said pair having a common back wall, opposed, spaced side walls and a curtain-covered front through which a voter may enter said booth; b. a voting panel of vote casting elements which are operable by a voter between a ''''no vote'''' condition and ''''vote'''' condition, each of said conditions having distinct electrical characteristics, mounted on said back wall of each booth; c. indicia associated with each element identifying it with a predetermined vote; d. a centralized vote totalizer operably connected to each panel, said totalizer including a memory which is programmed with a ballot of the vote, ballot scan control circuitry responsive to said program which controls the detection of the condition of said elements and interlock circuitry responsive to said program which prevents improper votes; e. a scanning circuit associated with each panel and operably connected to each element of said panels and to said ballot scan control circuitry which periodically scans each element and is responsive to said electrical characteristics whereby the condition of each element is detected and reported to said totalizer wherein the condition is checked through said interlock circuitry to determine whether said conditions represent a proper vote, and, at the time the vote is cast, each proper vote is stored in the memory; and f. power means for supplying electrical power at a predetermined voltage to said machine.