State of California PROCEDURES Required for Use of the AVC Edge®

[FogerRox]

sorry I lost the link to this doc--I got it thru VErifiedvoting
1
State of California
PROCEDURES
Required for Use of the
AVC Edge®
Direct Recording Electronic Voting System
These procedures are adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to Elections Code sections 19100 and
19205 and shall regulate and govern the use of the AVC Edge® Direct Recording Electronic Voting
System at all elections governed by the California Elections Code.
Insofar as feasible, all procedures prescribed herein shall be carried out in full view of the public.
These procedures constitute a minimum standard of performance. They are not intended to preclude
additional steps being taken by individual elections officials to enhance the security and reliability of
the electoral process.
The Secretary of State reserves the right to amend these procedures at any time.
Submitted
September 10, 2004

page3
1. THE AVC EDGE® VOTING SYSTEM
1.1. System Overview
The AVC Edge® Voting System consists of two major components, the AVC Edge® Electronic
Voting Machine (Edge) and the Election Database System (WinEDS) Central System.
The Edge incorporates a color LCD with an integral touchscreen, a control panel for use by
election poll workers, appropriate electronic circuitry and processing devices for performing
specified system functions, internal memory for storing ballot data and voting records, a
removable Results Cartridge with non-volatile memory, protective and public counters, and
integrated voter privacy panels.
The Results Cartridge is used both to load the electronic ballot onto the Edge and record
voting results. It is removed from the machine at the closing of the polls and tallied by
the WinEDS Central System.
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So the Results cartridges feed the tallys into the precinct level WinEDS Central System.
Or the Results cartridges are transported (driven) to a location where there is a
WinEDS Central System.
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The WinEDS Central System ("WinEDS") is a computer software system, which contains
application software developed specifically for election requirements.

page 19
General Procedures:
· The WinEDS server and workstation should NEVER be connected to the World Wide Web.
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So the WinEDS server and workstation both have modems installed in them.
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WinEDS Security:
page20
· The vendor shall provide the jurisdiction with a list of all software needed by the election
management software. All other Third-party software must NOT be installed, that has not
been previously approved for use by authorized personnel, to prevent the introduction of
software that may damage the PC.
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So the WinEDS Central System is software run on a PC.
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Equipment and Data Security:
· If the PC cannot be dedicated, reload all software and data files from secured backup copies
to assure an intact system.
· Do not allow unauthorized software to be run on the PC, particularly "shareware".

If modem transmission is used to upload unofficia l election results, the modems shall only
be enabled when unofficial results are expected. Before such transmissions are sent, a
backup of the database should be made and stored in a protected location. Official elections
results should be stored in this backup after it is restored.
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But on page 19 it is stated that: "The WinEDS server and workstation should NEVER be
connected to the World Wide Web". This is contradictory.
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Loading the Ballot onto the AVC Edge:
· The ballot load and Pre-LAT operations should be performed by AVC Edge technicians,
with the machines still in the storage warehouse.
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But on page 4 it is stated "Pre Election LAT: The election mode which is run prior to the
Official Election, in which election officials test the logic and accuracy of the Edge".
This is contradictory.
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[vince3]

1. kick

[Bill Bored]

2. What is contradictory?

A modem connection need not be an Internet connection.

[FogerRox]

3. Ok--you mean justa straight phone line--not on the web?

[Bill Bored]

4. Sir yes Sir!

But you many have a point about the Pre-testing, or whatever they're trying to say about "logic and accuracy."

[FogerRox]

5. yes- that might a bit of a RED FLAG----ya think--- LOL

[Peace Patriot]

6. FogerRox, could you explain this a bit for non-tech people?

I continue to find it mind-boggling--and infuriating--that I have to become an expert in esoteric technical knowledge to understand how my vote is counted, and that MOST of the voters are in the same spot as I am. I go to a Sec of State web site seeking an answer to some question, and am faced with an alphabet soup of obscure acronyms, and am forced to rely on professionals and expert interpeters. This is so unacceptable! And I'm beginning to realize that paper ballots/hand counts is the only solution--until the entire voting population gets Ph.D.'s (or at least B.A.'s) in computer science!

Profound thanks, though, to those of you have this technical expertise, can explain it to the rest of us, and have acted as whistleblowers--our modern day Paul Reveres!