We have the technology, let’s use it to restore and improve upon our democratic heritage.

At the outset dealing with the human element in large numbers, and that always complicates things. Nonetheless, we must work towards reducing the level of error to a minimum. That is our goal. In my opinion, I have created a design which accomplishes the basic goals I have outlined above.  As you read through this material, please keep in mind this is a conceptual design, and there may yet be functions or elements which will improve upon what you find here. I have tried to address this issue as clearly as possible. My goal is to locate flaws and faults which are currently built into the system, while creating solutions to those problems, which in the end result will hopefully make for an ethical and accurate voting mechanism. This is a basic but sound template or model, if you will. As a nation we desperately need to repair an archaic and crippled voting system. This issue has been ignored for far too long, and it is incomprehensible that we have put off to this late date, to set about the implementation of an efficient and modern, fully functioning design which parallels the advanced technology which for so very long has been readily available to us and has just been, in essence, sitting on the shelf unused. We have the technology; let's use it to restore and improve upon our democratic heritage.

This voting system is called:
Authenticated Secure Mirrored Balloting or ASMBS.
It is a new design which consists of the following elements:

1. Voting Reform-Part 1, The Issues
2. Voting Reform-Part 2, The Solutions
3. Process Standardization, including encryption
4. Voter Identification and Authentication - The voters Card and Identification
5. Mirrored Balloting
6. Summation
7. Email Comments & Suggestions to David Nelson

Introduction:
We are no-longer living in the dark ages. We possess remarkable technology capable of manipulating sophisticated terrestrial robotic rovers on the surface of Mars. As well, we have made fantastic strides in computerized modeling in virtually all fields of Science from Medicine, Geology, Weather Forecasting, Space Exploration, and Mathematics. Without exception, all of these fields use computers as basic and advanced tools to keep track of data, do ultra-sensitive positioning, track processes, and calculate and graph complex events with a level of sophistication and accuracy that only grows better with each passing day. Truly, the power of the computer to work with astonishing exactness is today unquestionably profound.

The system which I foresee, however, does not require a supercomputer to accomplish the very basic task of tracking votes nation wide. Of course we do not need to test the lower limits of the system by using archaic machines. I only wish to demonstrate that the primary task at hand here is counting and attributing validity through authentication, of each vote to every individual voting. We do have smaller and faster computers available to us which can easily be implemented into voting stations and at a much lower cost than even a few years ago.
Counting votes is not complex. It is a simple tally considering that the population of the United States stands at roughly 301,602,000. Those of voting age equal approximately 221,285,099, so the count becomes even less complex. This is not even remotely a difficult task for our existing computational ability and communication networks.

Voting Reform Part 1, The Issues:
The problem is not in counting the votes, but who is counting them and how they are being counted. It is ironic that the people who are hoping to be elected are the same people conducting the election. In short, the existing government, and here is where the system fails at the start. We are, in some states, still using paper ballots, while in others we are using electronic voting machines. While others use punch cards. As I have stated, we are no longer living in the dark ages. In virtually every field of work and commerce we have come to rely on computers to accomplish every task simple or complex, including banking. Why then have we neglected to bring our balloting process into the twenty-first century along with all of our other more modern processes. The answer is simple. The government of the United States does not wish it to be. In point of fact, the government has systematically created a divisive and calculated system which prevents the largest number of available voters from casting their ballots. This is how a reduced turnout is managed:

1. Voting is held on Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

a. This is but one day out of three-hundred and sixty-five. If our Democracy is as sound and open to every citizen as we profess, why then are we allowed only one day to cast our ballots?

b. During November in most of the country there are cold, snow, ice, sleet, hail, high winds and rain. Are we to expect our weak and infirm, as well as senior citizens, to prepare for a blizzard and trudge out into the winter day or night when driving conditions and even walking conditions are hazardous, to vote and wait in the cold for the opportunity to exercise their democratic voice.

c. Why is this process being conducted on a work day during the week. Most citizens are working eight hours a day. This makes for a dash to the poles either before or after work to vote, with an additional burden of standing in the cold for hours to do so.

d. A very large percentage of those of legal age do not vote. They have either lost faith in the present voting system or they do not believe that their single vote will make a difference. I contend that voting should be made mandatory. In this way the electorate speaks with a complete voice, instead of just the whisper we have heard in recent elections. Some have stated that if you have only the choice to vote that you are not living in a democratic society. As it stands we are not living in a democratic society as the result of the election process being taken out of the publics hands. If we want to achieve a clear picture of what this nation desires in the structure of its government, each and every one of us must vote. It is our responsibility to our fellow American brothers and sisters, that we all stand together and support one another in rebuilding our nation's democratic structure, for at present it has been grossly undermined by an extreme lack of involvement by the populace. Voting was long ago declared our birthright and our conduit by which we transmit our collective voice to our representatives. If we do not speak with the intention to achieve our political goals, we will not be represented even minimally. As to what fine or punishment should be levied against those refusing to vote, perhaps some form of community service.

e. It has also been suggested that the voting age be dropped below eighteen years. If at the age of eighteen we are expected to serve in the military then we should have the right to express ourselves politically. Although, young people are no doubt gaining intelligence at an earlier age, the commitment of laying one's life on the line for his or her country is not to be sold short by undermining the value of that sacrifice to the country. It has also been suggested that some form of national I.Q. test be administered to determine if a person is fit to vote at an age younger than eighteen. I do not see how this is a viable condition for establishing voting age. At eighteen years of age a young person is moving into adulthood; prior to that we may lack some degree of insight into the complex workings of world political events. Besides, a test to determine comprehension of geo-political events used as a meter of acceptability adds yet another layer of bureaucratic complication to an already complex situation. It is my suggestion that the age for casting ballots remain at eighteen.

f. There are, during every election period, people who show up late to the polls and are turned away. In terms of the critical issue of electing our representatives, how is it possible to have fair elections if some individuals are turned away because they could not make it to the polls on time? Thus, complete representation of the people is curtailed; as well, officials are put in office that would have otherwise lost the election with all ballots cast.

g. Ballots are not standardized. Every person living in the United States uses the same Tax Forms and format. Why are we using different types of ballots in different states, which are further confused by differing formats.?

h. Voting equipment and systems are not standardized. Why are we using non-standard voting equipment from county to county, from state to state. Why has the cornerstone of democracy been so blatantly underfunded? This is a gross misrepresentation of not only the voters, but those who have given of themselves in the service of our nation. If we have dedicated ourselves through service so that all Americans can live in a free and open democratic society, then we all should have an equal voice in how our leaders are elected. There can be no equal voice among the electorate if we are not using precisely the same equipment, methods and materials for conducting our elections.

i. All votes must be counted. No official shall under any circumstance assume office until each and every vote has been counted and accounted for.

2. The Electoral College is yet another critical aspect of the current election process which has the effect of negating the popular vote. Is it reasonable that a faction exists in our democracy which has the power to effectively nullify and invalidate the wishes of the entire voting public?  In what light is this concept even remotely connected with a democracy which is based on: "One person, one vote"? In essence, the Electoral College destroys the foundation of democracy unequivocally!

"There is no Constitutional provision or Federal law that requires electors to vote according to the results of the popular vote in their States. Some States, however, require electors to cast their votes according to the popular vote. These pledges fall into two categories -- electors bound by State law and those bound by pledges to political parties."

Voting Reform Part II, The Solutions:

1. The Electoral College is to be eliminated in total and complete preference of the popular vote.

2. The handling of the election process needs to be conducted by the public, excluding any and all government officials, employees or members of their families. It is at once imperative that government officials are completely removed from the election process, as they have a vested interest in the outcome. Elections will be conducted by college age individuals, who are selected at random by a lottery. As most college students are not serving in the active military, they can, by acting as voting officials fulfill a component of their duty to country by serving in this capacity. A set of guidelines concerning election responsibilities and task orientation will be issued as per assigned function. The inclusion of college age students into the election process will also have the effect of reintegrating our nation's youth into the democratic process.

3. Elections should be held during the summer months to allow easy passage to and from the polls for all citizens, regardless of age or limited health.

4. The American citizenry should be allowed three days to cast their ballots. I will make a suggestion of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of June. This way, there are no restrictions concerning weather and also no compressed voting schedules to deal with.

Process Standardization, including encryption
There is an extreme amount of secrecy surrounding the access to operating systems by voting machine manufacturers. This of course raises a red flag, and gives great cause for suspicion of ballot tampering and illegal party influence by the very companies which are given contracts to manufacture voting machines.

1. Corporations which have been charged with, or involved in the manufacture of rigged or counterfeit voting machines, will under no circumstances be given future contracts to produce, manufacture or in any way influence the production of voting equipment.

2. All voting machines are to be manufactured according to a single unique set of design specifications and are subject to surprise technical inspections by nonpartizan citizens' groups. After these inspections take place, a record of every machine inspected is submitted to the Citizens' Voting Control Agency. (CVCA)

3. A rigorous testing system should be implemented in the private sector (CVCA) to insure that each voting machine is functioning according to exacting digital standards. I suggest the use of a hardware dongle which is manufactured directly by a citizen certifications board. This dongle will be used to test every machine before it goes into service.
(A dongle is a small hardware device that connects to a computer to authenticate some piece of software)

4. Every voting machine must be locked and sealed using coded electronic seals. If a voting machine has been opened or tampered with it is taken out of service and replaced immediately.

5. All voting machine operating system software must contain a fixed number of bits as verified via the hardware dongle, prior to being put into service.

6. Each voting machine must be tested via the locked (Sealed Unopenable) noninvasive hardware dongle at various times during the balloting process, to insure that the operating system has not been altered or tampered with. If at any time during the balloting process the number of bits does not match the prescribed number of bits, voting on that particular machine is halted and it is replaced with a certified machine and retested prior to use.

7. Each dongle is inspected and certified prior to going into service by a nonpartisan (CVCA) citizen group.

8. These dongles are to be kept in locked vaults after certification has taken place, and each vault is to be electronically sealed to protect the contents from tampering. If the vault is opened or compromised, a time-date stamp will be recored as to the month, day, hour, minute, and second it was opened.

9. Surveillance cameras are to be fixed upon all vaults or containers housing voting equipment upon being sealed - 24/7.

10. Stored voting machines are to be protected as outlined above. Items (8 & 9).
This is but a general outline of basic security measures which need to be implemented. I am sure there may be additional procedures which will insure a more robust and secure system.

The Voters Identification & Voting Card:
The voting card consists of several key elements which will insure that the individual voting is in fact registered and authenticated as who they represent themselves to be. These elements then are:
     

a. A Picture I.D.

b. A thumb print of right hand (Both the left and right hand thumb print will be on file in the event that a person injures their right thumb, their left thumb can be scanned for identification.)

c. The digital fingerprint will be mathematically encoded and used as an algorithmic component of a random number sequence which is keyed to the person's social security number via one of several varied algorithms. This creates a random-random-random effect on the final output and disallows a hacking strategy will find its way into the system. The final number will be the voter's identification number. This number will be magnetically recorded on the back of each voter's card. There will be no method to break this key as it uses the encoded fingerprint as a biological truth function. Also, if someone were to attempt to make someone vote twice, the pre-existing database would send up a red flag from the previous vote. 1 person - 1 vote. One vote only.

d. Each voter will also be issued a unique PIN, which when used along with their voter card (with photograph) and thumbprint scan, creating a four-point authentication sequence.

e. Additional identification may be required, although standard identification and procedures should be agreed upon across the board in all fifty states. In this way, citizens have recourse under the law in the event they are refused the opportunity to vote. A driver's license or state identification card will suffice when used in conjunction with an individual voter's card.

A great deal of concern has been voiced regarding the use of a Bio-Metric system in conjunction with this design. The concern revolves around the central point of the government having access to our finger prints. In our current state of affairs, in which we are on camera an average of forty times per day, our homes, businesses and movements are easily tracked from space via satellite. Our footprints and hand prints are recorded in the hospital when we are born. School teachers are required by law to be fingerprinted before they can even apply for a teaching job. We are identified daily by our use of debit and credit cards, which leaves a well defined trail of our movements. In view of all of this, it is my opinion that, by using a thumb print as a bio-metric identifier, we are able to absolutely authenticate the identity of the person in the voting booth. Also, as I have mentioned elsewhere in this document, it can be used once it has become digitized as a mathematical component of the varied algorithms which make up a key construct of this design, and therefore are used as a positive means to effect an additional and necessary layer of security to the balloting system.
There is little doubt that our future holds even more layers of surveillance as technology advances and our population grows. This is, of course, a double edged sword. On one hand, we need technology to advance our humanitarian aims and aid in record keeping, in everything from our SSN’s to medical X-rays, which can be sent world wide via the internet. While on the other hand these records are easily transported from location to location on hard drive and DVD’s. Recently, 26.5 million sets of veteran’s records were stolen from the home of a VA employee. I would certainly value any mechanism which has the facility to identify me beyond all doubt, and at the same time prevents another from assuming my identity to do harm. I believe that this element adds a definite layer of security which is not easily obtainable using other methods. I am open to ideas and suggestions which will exceed the security of this concept, and will embrace their use once they have been tested to demonstrate their effectiveness.

Mirrored Balloting:

Currently, when a voter goes to the polling station to vote, they provide their registration information, step into the booth, make their candidate selections and leave; perhaps feeling exhilarated, having completed their civic duty and made their mark for their man or woman. The truth of the matter is, that they leave possessing no record of the important transaction which has taken place. Nor do they, in effect, know for sure that the ballot they have just cast is actually going anywhere or is in the end even going to be counted. It is with these issues in mind that I have created the Mirrored Balloting aspect of this design. This is how it works.

1. The voter goes to her/his polling station and is checked off the registration list. This process could be done using the voting card.

2. When they go into the voting booth, they insert their voting card into the voting machine.

3. Next, the voter places his or her right thumb upon the biometric scanner to input their thumb print.

4. Next, the voter inputs their PIN on the numeric keypad.

5. The voter's name appears on the screen and the computer asks if the voter is indeed John Q. Citizen. YES or NO. The voter answers YES and the voting process begins.

6. The ballot appears on the screen. The voter makes his or her selections via touch screen and moves through the various local, state and national races.

7. After the last selection is made, the voter is given an opportunity to review the entire ballot.

8. If changes need to be made, it is done so at this time.

9. Once the voter is satisfied that all selections on the ballot are correct, they indicate so by casting the ballot via the touch screen.

10. Immediately upon activating the final step, the voter's ballot along with their voter registration number, personal identification and address is encrypted and sent to several databases at randomly selected colleges or universities via modem or cable modem connection. This ballot is marked with a digital code to identify it as the version sent via modem.

11. Two hard copies of the voter's ballot are printed out.

12. The voter's card is ejected by the voting machine and returned to the voter for future use.

13. One is fed out of the machine and the voter takes this home with them as a receipt of the balloting transaction.

14. The second is a bar-coded copy and is printed upon a continuous ribbon of strong paper or Tyvek® (I recommend Tyvek®, as it is very strong and will resist tearing) directly into a locked aluminum shipping container which is also nested into and locked against the voting machine. In this fashion, the shipping container is an integral part of the voting machine. When the shipping container is full of ballots, voting is stopped momentarily and the shipping container is unlocked from the voting booth (the container itself remains sealed and locked) and set aside. An empty locked and sealed shipping container is attached to the voting machine and the process resumes. The voting machine will not function unless a locked shipping container is connected to it.

15. The shipping containers are loaded onto a guarded truck equipped with working fire extinguishers and taken again to random colleges and or universities where their contents will be scanned via continuous ribbon bar-code scanners and the digital ballots will then be uploaded to several server networks to insure redundancy. If a server goes down, we will still have others with which to download the full and complete set of ballots. The scanned ballots will carry a digital identification code which marks them as the paper/Tyvek® printout. This code will be linked to the digital ballots as a reference and a mark of authenticity.

16. The two versions of the ballot (the electronic modem version and the paper/Tyvek® version) are then decrypted and mirrored against one another using a comparison program which verifies that these two separate versions of the ballot are genuine. This step insures that the person who made the ballot is:
      a. A registered voter who has been identified and authenticated.
      b. Has in fact cast this particular ballot.
      c. That by mirroring these two sets of ballots at the counting station we have an authenticated vote.
     d. This set of votes is then counted and added to the total number of votes cast for the candidates involved.
17. At the end of the election when all the votes are tallied by the election officials, political seats will be filled in accordance with the public's wishes.

Summation:

This is only the initial concept of my idea and although I feel it covers all the bases, there may be features missing which need to be included. My suggestions for voting reform are just that. This is a very complex issue, but one which must be dealt with before any meaningful representation can take place in the United States. The physical system, consisting of computers, scanners, modems, paper tape, shipping containers and servers is seemingly more complex than it really is. When you compare this system and the price to sophisticated process systems for controlling power-plants, computer chip manufacturing facilities and the like, it at once becomes apparent that this is truly a simple counting procedure. The physical portion of this recipe for conducting a genuinely democratic election can be put into play with relative ease. It is the reform issues which will meet with the most resistance. There are those who will stubbornly stand by the old methods as tried and true. Unfortunately, they are tried and tired, but they are no-longer true. Indeed, our very systems of voter representation, campaign financing and districting areas must be tackled as well. But I believe these reforms will grow organically from the debate that is opened by starting with voting reform.

We need as a nation to realize that by continuing down the current road, not only in our election process but in our governments aging structure, we are digging ruts so deep that soon we will not be able to see above them. Our nation is presently at an extremely critical juncture in history. We need to establish new methods which focus on dealing with the problems of our modern world and which also aim at reconstructing and reforming our failing democracy. We cannot afford to leave this to the old ways or, worse yet, to chance. We must act swiftly if we are to survive the next decade as a nation. This year is already half over and we only have eighteen months left with which to prepare for the coming presidential election. It is a matter of the most extreme importance that the citizens of the United States of America regain control of their county. If we do not expedite this issue and collectively join together as a nation in creating a unified force to change the fractured political system and eliminate the divisive factions that currently exist within it, we may never again have such an incredible chance to create and implement a new and ethical political structure.

At the root of this subject is the word democracy. A word which means having a voice in and caring about what happens to you, your children, your grandchildren, your friends, your neighbors and your co-workers who all live and work alongside you in this country. Democracy, in fact, will not be given to you by the existing administration - it is something we must re-forge and build from this day forward. Our rights as individuals and as a nation are being eroded with each passing hour. It is our responsibility to see that they are not taken from us permanently. The price of our nation's freedom has been paid for with countless lives lost in horrific wars around the globe. There are millions who have made great sacrifices on our behalf, therefore, we must demonstrate our respect for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice by not allowing ourselves to become complacent. We must not let our leaders undermine the principles on which our country was built. For if we do not act, then we are responsible for the inevitable perilous and destructive outcome. However, if we do take action and control of our destiny, then we can say we did our very best to insure our country and its people not only survived, but had an opportunity to create a new design for living in cooperation and harmony with the world and all its inhabitants.

So I call on you, brothers and sisters, and ask that we work together, intelligently, to create an entirely new system and method for electing our nation's leaders and holding them accountable. The current election processes are riddled with opportunity for abuse and misappropriation of our collective constitutional voice. If we do not assert our unified will by assuming responsibility for election reform, then we will most certainly be made to endure whatever form of governance is imposed upon us, with complete disregard for our rights as a free-thinking and democratic society. The will of the people of our nation is being grossly neglected in favor of monolithic imperialistic isolationism. The United States can no longer afford to gamble our heritage or our future on yet another administration following the same divisive agenda (such as the one we are currently enduring). And most definitely not while it continues to suffocate our inalienable human rights in the name of fighting terrorism. The current state of the nation is most telling in countless failed attempts by this administration to disguise its abuses of power and its continued failure to nurture, support and provide for the common welfare. Your support of this voting system and its companion reform measures is an ESSENTIAL first step in rebuilding our nation's fractured democratic foundation.

It is in our hands and it is our responsibility to see that our nation regains a sense of dignity in the world. It is also imperative that we the people, collectivally initate political reform and demand that a new cohesive and unified balloting construct be implemented across all states. We are not pawns to be lead to our deaths by individuals who hold no regard for our families. We are an intelligent nation of human beings capable of systems far more complex than counting votes. To accept less than a complete overhaul of our balloting system is to allow our nation to sink further into the abyss of political corruption and the ultimate dismissal of our collective voice.

With each presidental election cycle lasting four years, we need to be extremely careful of who we elect to office. Our nation, our economy and our planet can not absorb the horrendous abuse of administrations who do not have our best interest at heart. Four years is a very long time to endure political failure, especially if we are made to endure sucsessive terms of inadequate leadership.

We have for too long a time been held at arm's-length by an ineffective political system which prevents us from determining our individual, as well our nation's, future. The time has come for all the people of this nation to be heard unconditionally and for the will of the citizenry to be implemented as decreed by our constitution's guarantee of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - for every woman, child and man, no matter what their walk of life. My final request of you is, upon absorbing this information, that you discuss this movement with your family, friends, neighbors, classmates and co-workers etc.. If we join together as a nation of concerned individuals who are willing to demonstrate that we honestly care about each other and our collective future, then we can put our house in order and once again find ourselves on the road to true peace and prosperity.

I wish to hear from any and all persons who have suggestions for improving upon this model.
Most sincerely,

Email: David L. Nelson

"that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Abe Lincoln

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