1 FLORIDA VOTING SYSTEM CERTIFICATION PROCESS Division of Elections Dr. Gisela Salas, Director State Certification of Voting Systems: Best Practices and Future Direction Kennesaw State University s Center for Election Systems September 23, 2011
NOMENCLATURE BVSC - Bureau of Voting Systems Certification COTS - Commercial off the Shelf FLDOE - Florida Division of Elections FLDOS - Florida Department of State F.S. - Florida Statute FVSS - Florida Voting Systems Standards SOE - Supervisor of Elections TDP - Technical Data Package VSTL - Voting Systems Test Lab (Accredited) 2
Florida Department of State DIVISION OF ELECTIONS Bureau of Voting Systems Certification Executive Office of the Governor Governor Rick Scott Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS DOS Gisela Salas Pos #0083 CHIEF OF VOTING SYSTEMS CERTIFICATION DOS David Drury Pos #0366 ADMIN ASST II Eleonor Lipman Pos #0986 SR. MGMT ANALYST II Linda Hastings-Ard Pos #1041 ADMIN ASST I Julie Harmon Pos #1031 SYSTEMS PROGRAMMER III Dennis Gustafson Pos #1005 SYSTEMS PROGRAMMER II Jim Halter Pos #1008 COMPUTER AUDIT ANALYST Angie McPherson/ Curt Hellenbrand (military leave) Pos #0924 COMPUTER AUDIT ANALYST Vacant Pos #1052 GVMT ANALYST I Rose Cade Pos #0917 SYSTEM PROJECT ANALYST Vacant Pos #1022 3
FLORIDA VOTING SYSTEM Voting System A method for casting and processing votes that functions wholly or partly by use of electromechanical or electronic apparatus or by use of paper ballots. This voting system includes, but is not limited to, the procedures for casting and processing votes. (s. 97.021(44), F.S) 4
CERTIFIED VS. APPROVED What is certified vs. approved? All electronic/electromechanical voting systems must be certified by FLDOE before purchase and use by counties Everything else must be approved Example: Ballot on Demand Printers Florida does not approve a certified individual element or device class in a voting system. Florida certification is for the vote counting segment (s. 101.5605(2)(a) F.S.) All other non-certifiable entities need approval. Florida certification is an approval of the voting system. 5
FLORIDA VOTING DEVICE CLASSES Florida voting system has three major device classes: Election Management System (EMS) Unity (ES&S) Win EDS (Sequoia/Dominion) GEMS (Premier) Democracy Suite (Dominion)* EVS (ES&S)* Precinct Count Tabulation Device OS/OSX(Premier) Insight & Insight Plus (Sequoia/DVS) MS100;DS 200(ES& S); ICP (Dominion) Accessible voting device (ADA) or marking device AutoMark = ES&S/Premier ivotronic = ES&S Accuvote TsX = Premier Edge = Sequoia Central Count Tabulation Device (Absentee voting and recount) High speed scanner DS 650 (ES&S); Optech 400C (Sequoia); PCS 900 & 960 (Premier); DS 850 (ES&S); ICC (Dominion) Precinct scanner *In application process/not certified 6
FLORIDA VOTING DEVICE CLASSES (CONT D.) Example of several minor device classes that may or may not be part of a voting system Ballot on Demand (BOD) Printers Electronic absentee ballots Secure electronic transmission Secure remote electronic access 7
FLORIDA CERTIFICATION AND APPROVAL Approval of a voting system requires certification Certification is an assessment of a tabulation device Florida does not approve an individual tabulation device Approval is required for minor device classes Example: Owner s Manual, etc. 8
APPROVAL FOR MINOR DEVICES CLASSES Vendor submits a request for approval (e.g., BOD, FVAP, ECO, etc.) No form May be via letter or e-mail Must be open-ended BVSC reviews the request and possibly a TDP Vendor resolves any issues, if needed Example: engineering change If testing is needed: BVSC prepares a Test Plan and conduct the test(s) Vendor resolves any issues Either FLDOE or BVSC approves or disapproves the request 9
APPROVAL FOR FLORIDA VOTING SYSTEM CERTIFICATION Vendor submits application & TDP BVSC reviews application & TDP Vendor resolves issues, if needed BVSC determines when application is Complete (including source code and executables) BVSC examine the TDP & prepares test plan BVSC conducts qualification test(s) Vendor resolves issues, if needed BVSC produces test report and recommends the decision FLDOE approves or disapproves the voting system 10
TDP EXAMINATION Review the software/firmware source code. Ensure the release notes are traceable back to current certified software/firmware. Review release notes to identify problems and improvements. Examine the flow charts and interface documents. Review VSTL software test reports, if available. Conduct a static source code review, not a review of code style. Buffer overflow Null pointer Uninitialized data Memory leaks Etc. If existing system, compare previous version with new version of the system. 11
TDP EXAMINATION (CONT D.) Examine user documentation and maintenance manuals. Review methods for transferring results, methodology for updating firmware, and the available optional equipment and software, etc. Evaluate the system s security. Review the list of required and optional shrink-wrap COTS software. Review the VSTL hardware test reports, if available Additional Florida test requirements for use with all equipment not previously certified in Florida: Drip Test (Rain) Blowing Dust Test Transit Drop Test 12
QUALIFICATION TEST - PHASE ONE BVSC prepares: Qualification Test Phase One testing typically includes a clean install of the voting system, creation of administrative and election databases, creation of three or more simulated elections, and the creation of the election media (i.e., disks, compact flash, memory cards, etc.) BVSC performs the test to verify the relevant requirements of the FVSS (s.101.5605 F.S., and 101.5606 F.S.) 13
QUALIFICATION TEST - PHASE ONE Phase One includes: Physical audit Software/Hardware; Does it match application? Functional audit Software/Hardware test menu items; Does everything function as intended? Creation of administrative and election databases Simulating/Creating county precincts, districts. Creation of three or more simulated elections Closed primary election General election Municipal election Preparation of the election media (i.e., memory cards, compact flash, USB, etc.) 14
QUALIFICATION TEST - PHASE TWO Phase Two includes: Simulated elections (Primary, General, and municipal elections) Logic and accuracy (L&A) Early voting Election day voting Absentee voting Provisional voting Mass ballot count test (required for change in firmware) Precinct count tabulator 9,900 ballots Central count tabulator(s) 192,000 ballots Simulate machine recount Electronic transmission (analog or wireless modem) 15
QUALIFICATION TEST PHASE TWO (CONT D) Sensitivity test for manually marked ballots (not required but gives an understanding of scanner s capability to scan marks) Graded pencils (6H, 5H, 4H, 3H, 2H, F, HB, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B) No. 2 pencil equivalent with HB grade Roller pens (black, green, red, light blue, medium blue, dark blue) Felt pens (black, green, red, blue) Marker (black, green, red, light yellow, dark yellow) 16
Florida Certification Approval Flowchart 17
CERTIFICATION APPROVAL FOR FLORIDA VOTING SYSTEM BVSC gets application TDP items received, reviewed, and finalized Testing occurs BVSC produces/publishes the test report Testing continues (if problems found) or BVSC recommends for voting system s approval/disapproval If approved: FLDOE Director issues the approved certification BVSC sends copy of approved software to vendor (made from silver disc.called the bronze disc) Using Bronze disc, vendor produces software packages for counties (install disc includes manual) Vendor sends prepared software packages back to BVSC BVSC compares the software packages to the certified [approved] software (compare to silver disc) If comparison yields no changes, BVSC sends software package to counties (as identified by vendor) NOTE: Florida does not allow the vendor to send software directly to the counties 18
Future Direction and Best Practices Continued transparency Continued consistent approach in certification process Continued consistent communication with vendors, SOEs, and the public 19