Public invited to observe critical process
September 20, 2013

Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: David Tom, Elections Division Manager

(Redwood City, CA) Logic and Accuracy testing (L&A) of the eSlate voting system equipment will begin Monday, September 23 at 8:30 a.m. for the November 5, 2013 Consolidated Municipal, School and Special District Election, according to Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder.  L&A will take approximately 3 days and will be conducted at the Registration and Elections Division at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo.  Members of the public are encouraged to observe this process.  

 “L&A is absolutely fundamental in the preparation of an election,” explained Church.  “The testing provides an added level of confidence in the election results by ensuring that all potential voter choices are tested for accuracy,” he added.  

Prior to every election, L&A is performed in two phases on the voting system’s vote counting software.

The first phase of L&A focuses on the electronic votes cast on the eSlate voting machines.  The elections staff uses “test” versions of the English, Spanish and Chinese ballots that include all contests in the November 5, 2013 election.  This phase is passed only when there is a perfect match between the test votes cast and the predetermined test results.

The second phase of L&A focuses on paper ballot voting.  The English, Spanish and Chinese paper ballots used for testing are clearly identified as “test” ballots.  The votes marked on the paper ballots are recorded by running the ballots through a digital scanner-tabulator.  This scanner works in connection with the vote counting system called Ballot Now.  Ballot Now accepts voting marks within the predetermined space on the ballot and records them.  Only when there is a perfect match between the test votes cast and the predetermined test results is this phase completed.

Additionally, every voting machine will undergo functional testing.   Functional testing ensures the proper operation of every dial, button, connector and other hardware components of the voting machines.  This testing process confirms that the voting machines are loaded with the correct system software and firmware, as certified by the Secretary of State.  

Upon completion of L&A and functional testing, 1428 eSlate voting machines will be deployed to 211 polling places and 2 Voting Centers for the November 5, 2013 Consolidated Municipal, School and Special District Election. 

For more information about the November 5, 2013 Consolidated Municipal, School and Special District Election, go online at www.shapethefuture.org or call 650.312.5222.


The press release is displayed in its original format. San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections website now resides at www.smcacre.org

Related Contacts

Mark Church

Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer
555 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665Get Directions
Phone:
650.363.4988

Jim Irizarry

Asst. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Asst. Chief Elections Officer
555 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665Get Directions
Phone:
650.363.4988