Integrated vote by mail processing system

• Main Authors: BRUCKER BRIAN, PATRIA HARMINDER, NELSON, JR. DONALD S, BARRETT BRETT, BORNE BRADLEY W, LEMMON GARY, HEFFERNAN DARRIN, WAGONER JERRY, PITTMAN BRYAN A, ELDER JOHN, WRIGHT LESTER, LEONARD, JR. ROBERT L, CLUBB BRIAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.07.2007
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDEDFOR ELSEWHERE; CALCULATING; CHECKING-DEVICES; COMPUTING; COUNTING; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS; PHYSICS; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECOGNITION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS

A modular integrated software and hardware suite can accept data exported from a voter registration database corresponding to requests for mail ballots, sort the data as necessary for ballot preparation, create a road map for ballot mailing preparation, provide for mail presorting, scan returned ballot envelopes using a ballot envelope scanner, and accept data from the scanner. The scanner uses a passive feed system, a separator brush, and a variable speed straight paper path to minimize jamming through the ballot envelope scanner. The scanner can work with a workstation application to interpret a barcode, store an image of the ballot envelope signature in association with a specific voter, print an endorsement on each verified ballot envelope, and store the endorsement with the signature image. The scanner can divert ballot envelopes with unrecognizable or unmatched barcodes to a separate tray for manual processing.