Voting System And Method

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for enabling a voter to vote at any single official polling place in the state (jurisdiction) even if it lies outside the boundaries of his local voting location (division of the jurisdiction). The systems and methods disclosed also prevent voter fraud, including a single voter voting more than once, at any polling place anywhere in the jurisdiction.

1 . A method for voting, comprising:
 at least one terminal of a networked system determining the eligibility of a voter to vote in an election in a jurisdiction;   providing a ballot at any location in the jurisdiction, the ballot corresponding to a division of the jurisdiction in which the voter is registered, if the voter is eligible to vote in the election and,   at least one machine for recording votes from each executed ballot, the at least one machine separate from the networked system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location in the jurisdiction where the voter is provided the ballot includes a polling place different from the polling place that the voter is assigned, the assigned polling place for the voter corresponding to the division of the jurisdiction in which the voter is registered. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location in the jurisdiction where the voter is provided the ballot includes a polling place the same as the polling place that the voter is assigned, the assigned polling place for the voter corresponding to the division of the jurisdiction in which the voter is registered. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the ballot includes printing a ballot. 
     
     
         5 . A voting system comprising:
 a networked portion configured for verifying the eligibility of a voter to vote in an election in a jurisdiction; and   a non-networked portion configured for providing a ballot at any location in the jurisdiction, the ballot corresponding to a division of the jurisdiction in which the voter is registered, if the voter is eligible to vote in the election.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the networked portion includes a terminal in electronic communication with a central computer for verifying the eligibility of a voter to vote in the election in the jurisdiction and providing data corresponding to the division of the jurisdiction where the voter is registered; and the non-networked portion includes interactive storage media configured for storing all ballots for all divisions of the jurisdiction and for providing the ballot for the division of the jurisdiction where the voter is registered in response to receiving the data provided by the terminal, the data corresponding to the division of the jurisdiction where the voter is registered. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the non-networked portion provides the ballot electronically. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the terminal generates a code corresponding to the division of the jurisdiction in which the voter is registered. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the non-networked portion includes at least one voting machine, the at least one voting machine for housing the interactive storage media and the at least one voting machine including a processor programmed to receive the code for the division of the jurisdiction in which the voter is registered and retrieve an electronic ballot from the interactive storage media corresponding to the code. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the jurisdiction includes a U.S. State. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the division of the jurisdiction includes at least one precinct. 
     
     
         12 . A voting system comprising:
 a first system configured for i) verifying the eligibility of a voter to vote in an election in a jurisdiction through at least one terminal linked to a communication network, and ii) providing a ballot at any location in the jurisdiction, the ballot corresponding to a division of the jurisdiction in which the voter is registered, if the voter is eligible to vote in the election, and,   a second system including at least one recording machine configured for recording votes from each executed ballot, the second system separate from the communication network.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one terminal is in electronic communication with a central computer of the communication network for verifying the eligibility of a voter to vote in the election in the jurisdiction and providing data corresponding to the division of the jurisdiction where the voter is registered. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first system includes interactive storage media configured for storing all ballots for all divisions of the jurisdiction and for providing the ballot for the division of the jurisdiction where the voter is registered in response to receiving the data provided by the terminal, the data corresponding to the division of the jurisdiction where the voter is registered. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first system provides the ballot electronically. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first system provides the ballot by printing a manual ballot. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the manual ballot is readable by an optical scanner. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one terminal generates a code corresponding to the division of the jurisdiction in which the voter is registered. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first system includes at least one voting machine, the at least one voting machine for housing the interactive storage media and the at least one voting machine including a processor programmed to receive the code for the division of the jurisdiction in which the voter is registered and to retrieve an electronic ballot from the interactive storage media corresponding to the code. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the jurisdiction includes a U.S. State. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the division of the jurisdiction includes at least one precinct.