text:
A ballot reader images a ballot, checks the ballot, and displays the ballot image for voter review. The voter may cast the ballot causing it to be collected and the vote thereon recorded, or may have the ballot returned. Checking may include, e.g., checking for a complete ballot, undervotes and/or overvotes.
1. A ballot reader for reading an optically-readable ballot comprising:
an imager for imaging the optically-readable ballot;
a processor for processing the ballot image, wherein the processing includes checking the ballot image for identifying an undervote and/or an overvote;
a display for displaying the processed ballot image including any identified undervote and/or overvote; and
means for casting the ballot and for returning the ballot uncast.
2. The ballot reader of
3. The ballot reader of
4. The ballot reader of
5. The ballot reader of
6. The ballot reader of
7. The ballot reader of
8. The ballot reader of
a memory for storing the ballot image if the ballot is cast; and
a container for receiving the ballot if the ballot is cast.
9. The ballot reader of
10. The ballot reader of
11. The ballot reader of
12. The ballot reader of
13. A method for reading an optically-readable ballot on which a voting selection may be marked comprising:
imaging the optically-readable ballot;
processing the ballot image including checking the ballot image for identifying an undervote and/or an overvote;
displaying the processed ballot image including any identified undervote and/or overvote; and
casting the ballot or returning the ballot uncast.
14. The method of
15. The method of
16. The method of
17. The method of
18. The method of
19. The method of
20. The method of
storing the ballot image if the ballot is cast; and
receiving the ballot in a container if the ballot is cast.
21. The method of
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/924,037 filed Aug. 23, 2004 now abandoned which claims the benefit of:
and is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/410,824 filed Apr. 10, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,077,313, which is incorporated herein by reference and which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/260,167 filed Sep. 30, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,944 which claims the benefit of
The present invention relates to a reader for an optically readable ballot, and, in particular, a reader that reads and displays a ballot.
Optically readable ballots, typically paper ballots marked with voting selections by a voter, provide an easily read means of voting wherein a tangible record of the votes cast is maintained on the paper ballots, i.e. a so-called "audit trail" that is considered important for preventing vote fraud, or at least making it more difficult and detectable. One disadvantage of optically read ballots is that the ballots must be physically secured, then taken to a central election processing location and then fed through ballot readers to be read and the votes thereon tabulated. Thus there is a significant delay between the time when the polls close and when the in tabulation of the votes cast is available. In addition, if ballots are over-voted are typically disqualified and ballots that are under-voted may be due to an unintended voter oversight. As a result, the voter does no and cannot know whether his vote was counted accurately.
Some of these issues are addressed by direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machines wherein a voter casts his vote using a touch screen, a keyboard or by pressing buttons, and the vote is then electronically recorded in a memory within the voting machine. DRE voting machines usually provide for electronic vote tabulation via electronic file transfer, sometimes even by electronic communication (e.g., via telephone, a network and/or the Internet), and so they can substantially reduce the delay between poll closing and availability of tabulated results, and have the potential for producing reliable and accurate vote tallies. However, almost all available DRE voting machines provide no permanent, independently verifiable record, i.e. no audit trail, of the votes cast. As a result, the voter does not and cannot know whether his vote was counted accurately, and computer scientists and others have vocally criticized electronic voting.
(The models EVC308-SPR-FF and EVC308-SPR voting machines presently offered under the VOTE-TRAKKER™ name by Avante International Technology, Inc. of Princeton Junction, N.J., are exceptions that do provide a verifiable audit trail. These voting machines provide a contemporaneous tangible receipt (e.g., a printed receipt) of each voter's vote that can be inspected by the voter and that is available for later verification of the electronically tabulated vote.)
Accordingly, there is a need for apparatus that will preserve the advantages of an optically-readable ballot and that will also provide advantages associated with electronic voting, all while giving the voter confidence that his vote was counted accurately.
To this end, a ballot reader may comprise an imager for imaging an optically-readable ballot, a processor for processing the ballot image, a display for displaying the processed ballot image, and means for casting the ballot and for returning the ballot uncast. A memory stores the ballot image and a container may receive the ballot, if the ballot is cast.
The detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s) will be more easily and better understood when read in conjunction with the FIGURES of the Drawing which include:
In the Drawing, where an element or feature is shown in more than one drawing figure, the same alphanumeric designation may be used to designate such element or feature in each figure, and where a closely related or modified element is shown in a figure, the same alphanumerical designation may be primed. Similar elements or features may be designated by like alphanumeric designations in different figures of the Drawing and with similar nomenclature in the specification. It is noted that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawing are not to scale, and the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity, and any value stated in any Figure is given by way of example only.
While referred to as reader VM, ballot reader VM is in actuality much more than simply a reader in the conventional sense—it is an electronic voting machine VM that processes optically-readable ballots in a unique manner that, if properly utilized, can facilitate voter confidence in the election process and reduce the likelihood of voting errors.
Certain components of ballot reader VM may be similar to the components of a personal computer and so it is likely that conventional computer components, particularly processor P and memory M, may be utilized in conjunction with displays DU and input devices VI adapted to or customized for the ballot reader VM application, for example, for ruggedness, resistance to tampering and/or abuse. Voter interface VI may be a touch screen and so would include display DU and a data entry device in a single component.
Ballot reading device 1010 has an input container or slot 1020 into which a ballot 100 to be read (imaged) is placed for being fed through transport path 1030 to a secure output container CB, 1040 into which ballots 100 that have been read (imaged) as they pass through transport path 1030 are deposited, i.e. are collected. Therebetween, ballot transport path 1030 defines a path through which ballots 100 are transported for being read (imaged) as they are transported between input container 1020 and output container 1040. Transport path 1030 may include two readers 1031 and 1032 of reader device 1010 which read the information and/or markings on ballots 100 as they pass thereby, e.g. for redundancy and/or verification of information read. Container CB, 1040 is for receiving the ballot if the ballot is cast, and preferably only if the ballot is cast.
Preferably, ballots 100 are optically-read ballots 100 and readers 1031 and 1032 are optical readers/imagers. Member 1034 may be a guide for transport path 1030 that prevents ballot 100 once it has been imaged from being removed, and may also provide a light shield for optical readers 1031, 1032, all within secure container VMC. Typically, an optically-readable ballot 100 moves past imagers 1031 and 1032 whereat it is imaged and then stopped to await the voter's confirmation that the vote marked thereon as read by imagers 1031/1'032 is correct. If ballot 100 is correct and the vote thereon is cast, ballot 100 is then moved along path 1030 and is deposited in secure container 1040. If the vote as displayed as read from ballot 100 is incorrect, or if ballot 100 is incomplete, or if ballot 100 contains an illegal vote, ballot 100 is returned to the voter at input 1020, as indicated by the double ended arrows in
A ballot "returned" is physically ejected by the scanner transport mechanism 1030, typically by being transported along the same path over which it was scanned but in the opposite direction so that it is presented to the voter at the same slot or opening into which it was initially placed. e.g., as indicated by double-ended arrows. A ballot to be returned is never collected as are ballots that have been authenticated, imaged, found complete and cast.
Optical reader VM is enclosed in a secure container VMC to protect the apparatus therein from damage and tampering, and so that the paper ballot 100 once inserted therein (submitted) is not accessible to the voter or anyone else. The paper ballot once submitted must be automatically collected in a secure container or collection box CB and the vote marked thereon as read is cast electronically, or the ballot must be returned to the voter and no vote is recorded. When a ballot is returned, all ballot pages submitted are returned and neither the ballot image(s) thereof or the vote(s) marked thereon are stored.
It is noted that conventional optical readers typically have only one optical reader and must be preprogrammed with a template corresponding to the particular ballots to be passed therethrough and read, and so the ballots must be sorted by jurisdiction and the like so that only ballots of the same form, i.e. of the form that corresponds to the preprogrammed template, are passed through to be read at any one time. Conventionally, ballots of different format must be passed through as separate batches after the corresponding template therefor has been programmed into the optical reader. Even if a conventional optical reader were to have two optical readers, both optical readers thereof would be programmed for reading the ballots against the same preprogrammed template, i.e. would be for making redundant readings for verifying the correctness of either reading against one predetermined preprogrammed template.
On the other hand and optionally, reader 1010 may include two readers 1031 and 1032 and a processor P that cooperate for reading ballots 100 of different forms without the need to pre-sort the ballots into groups of like form. Specifically, optical reader 1031 may read ballot 100 for reading a ballot identifier (VID) number thereon and communicate the VID number to processor P. Reader 1031 need not, but may, read any other part of ballot 100. Processor P is responsive to the VID number read from each ballot 100 by reader 1031 to identify and select the ballot template corresponding thereto. Optical reader 1032 would then read ballot 100 for reading the mark spaces thereon that have been marked for comparison in accordance with the ballot template selected by processor P.
It is noted that ballot reader 1010 may similarly image the ballot and cooperate with processor P to select the appropriate ballot template even if only one reader 1031 or 1032 is employed. The ballot image from reader 1031 or 1032 is processed by processor P to identify the VID identifier therein, specifically the jurisdiction identifier portion thereof, which may be utilized for selecting the appropriate template for reading the ballot image.
If utilized, the VID number read from each ballot 100 by reader 1031 should include at least jurisdictional information fields thereof, e.g., fields utilized to identify the voting jurisdiction to which the ballot pertains and to select the ballot template corresponding to that jurisdiction. Optical reader 1031 should also read the unique random number field, e.g., a field having a random number that may be utilized to authenticate the ballot 100 and that may also be utilized to associate the stored image of the ballot 100 with the physical paper ballot 100, e.g., so that the unique random number portion of the VID is associated with the stored ballot image information and is available for later verification of the ballot and/or of the correct reading thereof, as well as for tracking of the vote by the voter, e.g., via an Internet or other posting, wherein vote posting by random number is provided. Where VID is on ballot 100 in two different forms, e.g., in machine-readable form and in human-readable form, reader 1010 may have the ability to read both forms of the VID, e.g., a bar-code reader and an OCR reader, usually in processor P.
Reader 1032, if provided, need not read (image) portions of ballot 100 other than those containing valid mark spaces 112 according to the template corresponding to that ballot. The unnecessary portions of ballot 100 not containing valid mark spaces may either not be read or may be read and then discarded while retaining the readings of mark spaces. Only images of the VID and mark space zones need be obtained and stored for tabulating and/or verifying voting by a vote counter comprising processor P and memory M, for example. Images of the ballot, including VID and mark space zones, may be stored in any suitable electronic format including but not limited to .BMP, .TIFF, .PDF or any other suitable format. In this way, the amount of storage capacity needed to store the information read (imaged) from each ballot is substantially reduced because the standardized information, e.g., names of contests, names of candidates, and the like, are not stored. On the other hand, full images of ballot 100 may be stored for providing a full audit trail between the ballot images stored in memory M and the ballots 100.
As a result, ballots 100 placed into input 1020 do not have to be pre-sorted to be of the same format, but may be of different formats because readers 1031, 1032 in cooperation with processor P may determine the proper template to be utilized for reading each ballot 100 according to its format. Specifically, because the information in each VID number printed on each ballot 100 define the particular voting jurisdiction (e.g., state, county, municipality, precinct, ward and/or political party), they also define the form of ballot 100 for such jurisdiction. From the VID number read, e.g., by optical reader 1031, processor P determines the jurisdiction and the ballot form therefor and supplies the template therefor for use in conjunction with the pattern of mark spaces marked on ballot 100 for determining the voting selections made thereon.
Simply put and by way of example, reader 1031 may read the VID number from a first ballot 100 of form A and may signal same to processor P which then provides the mark space template for ballots 100 of form A for reading (imaging) the marked voting selections from first ballot 100 read (imaged) by optical reader 1032 and displayed on display DU. If the voter casts the ballot 100, the marked voting selections read (imaged) by reader 1032 are then tabulated as votes by processor P and memory M.
Next, reader 1031 may read the VID number from a second ballot 100 of form B presented by another voter and may signal same to processor P which then provides the mark space template for ballots 100 of form B for reading (imaging) the marked voting selections from second ballot 100 read (imaged) by optical reader 1032 and displayed on display DU. If this voter casts his ballot 100, the read (imaged) marked voting selections are then tabulated as votes by processor P and memory M.
Next, reader 1031 may read the VID number from a third ballot 100 of form C and signals same to processor P which then provides the mark space template for ballots 100 of form C for reading (imaging) the marked voting selections from third ballot 100 read by optical reader 1032 and displaying same on display DU. If this voter casts his ballot 100, the read marked voting selections are then tabulated as votes by processor P and memory M. If the next ballot is of form B, for example, reader 1031 reads the VID number from that ballot 100 of form B and signals same to processor P which then provides the mark space template for ballots 100 of form B for reading (imaging) the marked voting selections from that ballot 100 read (imaged) by optical reader 1032 and displaying same on display DU. If this voter casts the ballot, the read (imaged) marked voting selections are then tabulated as votes by vote counter 1060, and so forth. The foregoing process repeats for each ballot 100 read (imaged) by reader 1010 wherein the template for each ballot is selected by processor P responsive to the VID number read from that ballot, i.e. specifically responsive to the jurisdictional information defined in fields of the VID number.
Accordingly and preferably, but optionally, an optical reader VM for reading paper ballots 100 having a jurisdiction identifier thereon and having voting selections marked thereon, comprises a transport path 1030 for transporting paper ballots 100 between an input and an output thereof; a first optical reader 1031 for reading the jurisdiction identifier of each paper ballot 100 transported on said transport path 1030, and a second optical reader 1032 for reading the voting selections marked on each paper ballot transported on said transport path 1030. Processor P receives the jurisdiction identifier read by the first optical reader 1031 for each paper ballot 100 for selecting a template for reading in accordance with the selected template the voting selections marked on each paper ballot 100, whereby the voting selections marked on each paper ballot 100 are read in accordance with a template corresponding to the jurisdiction identifier for that paper ballot 100. Alternatively, only one optical reader 1031, 1032 may be employed, or if two optical readers 1031, 1032 are provided, both may image the ballot 100 to provide a redundant ballot image which may be utilized to improve the reliability of ballot reading wherein both images are decoded to determine the voting selections marked thereon, which two decoded ballot images may then be compared for their confirming the reliability of the decoding of ballot 100 information.
In addition and optionally, processor P may include optical character recognition (OCR) software to provide alphanumeric outputs of the information in the VID field read (imaged) by reader 1031 and/or of write-in information in the write-in portions of the voting fields read (imaged) by reader 1032 according to the template selected by processor P. It is preferred that reader 1010 move ballots through transport path 1030 at the rate of at least about 10-12 inches per second (about 25-30 cm/sec.) so that ballots on either 8˝×11 inch paper and/or on A4 paper may be read at a rate of at least about one ballot per second. It is also preferred that readers 1031 and 1032 have a resolution of at least about 100 dpi or greater, and it is desirable in some cases that reader 1010 provide dual-side document scanning.
Reader VM in checking a ballot 100 preferably signals or otherwise provides a notice or indication if a ballot 100 is under voted (i.e. less than the required number of spaces have been marked for each contest/question) or is over voted (i.e. more than the required number of spaces have been marked for each contest/question, which may invalidate a vote in a contest/question or may invalidate an entire ballot) or is otherwise incorrectly marked. Ballot checking may be utilized with straight voting, ranked voting, and/or cumulative voting similarly, e.g., indicating if improper ranking has been marked and/or if the wrong number of cumulative votes have been marked. While such checking function advances the goal that ballots reflect voter intent, it can reduce, but not eliminate, under voting and over voting; however, it will at least give the voter an opportunity to correct such condition or at least indicate an intentional "no vote" if a "No Vote" or "Abstain" mark space is marked.
Ballot checking by reader VM may avoid or at least mitigate the condition where the intent of the voter cannot be determined because under and over voting can be reduced and/or eliminated. However, where applicable law allows, under and over voting in cumulative voting contests may be adjusted and/or rectified when the ballot is counted by applying proportioning and/or normalizing rules to the votes actually cast by marking mark spaces, e.g., by adding or subtracting a proportionate weighted vote. Ballot checking may be preformed by a reader VM which may include an imager based on commercial office imaging equipment.
While the reader arrangement described in the immediately preceding paragraphs is preferred, optical ballots 100 including a VID number as described herein may be sorted and read by conventional readers in the conventional manner, assuming, of course, that the election officials are willing and able to sort the paper ballots into groups of like form, or to have the voters utilize a reader VM that is pre-programmed for the jurisdictional ballot form utilized by that voter in voting. Ballot readers VM as described herein may utilize all or part of conventional ballot readers and/or may utilize parts of conventional office equipment such as copiers, scanners, facsimile (fax) machines, and other commercial imaging and/or scanning devices, and the like, e.g., for imaging and/or optically reading the information contained on an optically-readable paper ballot 100.
Conventional ballot readers such as the SCANMARK ES2800 reader available from Scantron located in Tustin, Calif., employ sensors positioned on a fixed grid pattern (e.g., in columns) corresponding to the fixed grid pattern of the mark-sense spaces of the ballot sheets with which they are utilized, and such readers do not image a ballot and so they cannot identify or determine pixel density and/or location as may be done for a true ballot image. An example of a conventional optical image scanner includes the PAGESCAN II reader available from Peripheral Dynamics. Inc, located in Plymouth Meeting, Pa. It is noted that this scanner can provide an image of a ballot or other document or sheet, and can be programmed to define multiple image areas. Examples of commercial imaging scanners include types DR5020 and DR5080 available from Canon Electronics, Inc, located in Japan, and type IS330DC available from Ricoh Company located in Japan.
In addition, the "trial" ballot reader as described is preferably provided at each polling place so that a voter has the opportunity to have his voted ballot scanned privately and to have the voting selections read therefrom be displayed to him privately so that the correctness thereof may be confirmed before the ballot is cast. Preferably, as is described, the trial ballot scanner VM employs the same reading apparatus and method as ballot scanners that may be utilized to read the ballot in re-counting and re-tabulating the vote, should that become necessary, e.g., as where a recount is declared.
Memory M may also be of any suitable non-volatile memory type. Suitable memory devices include floppy disks, computer hard disk drives, writeable optical disks, memory cards, memory modules and flash memory modules (such as those utilized in electronic cameras), magnetic and optical tapes and disks, as well as semiconductor memories such as non-volatile random-access memory (RAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and the like. Memory M or a separate memory contains the operating system, data base and application software that operates processor P as voting machine VM. Preferably, memory M includes plural separate and independent memories for providing redundant storage of ballot images and other voting information.
Alternatively, various programming information, a ballot identifier list, and the like may be provided in firmware, such as in an EPROM, which provides additional resistance to tampering and/or hacking attack. Such firmware may be utilized, for example, for controlling the reading and writing of information from optically-readable ballots, the storing of voting record information such as ballot images in memory M, particularly, a specific memory device such as a memory chip card, an optical disk or tape, or other electronic, magnetic or optical media. Preferably, memory M of ballot reader VM includes two independent non-volatile memory devices so that voting record information such as ballot images are stored on two separate, independent memory devices for redundancy and preservation of at least one copy of the accumulated voting records in the event one of the memory devices fails or otherwise becomes inoperative. Desirably, the two non-volatile memories are of different types, such as a semiconductor memory and a hard disk, or a memory card and an optical disk, or any other convenient combination.
Voter interface VI is preferably a touch-screen interface associated with display unit DU, but may be a standard or custom keyboard, or may be dedicated vote buttons or switches, and is typically connected to processor P via cabling. Special keys can be provided for voting functions such as "Cast Ballot" or "Return Ballot" or "Cast ballot even though it contains error(s)". Alternative voter interfaces VI may include voice recognition apparatus, Braille keyboards or pen systems with writing recognition interfaces, each preferably with confirmation of the data displayed on display unit DU and entered by the voter, such as by an audible response, e.g., via a headphone or a loudspeaker, or by a Braille or other tactile device.
In addition, a voter interface VI for allowing visually impaired voters to vote without assistance may employ a modified standard keyboard, of which only certain keys are responded to by processor P, in combination with an aural device. E.g., only the four keys (buttons) at the corners of a numeric keypad or the four areas (buttons) in the four corners of a touch screen may be enabled to indicate possible selections such as cast vote, return ballot, and the like, with audible voice instructions and confirmation of buttons pressed provided via a headphone. A typical function assignment to the corner keys can include: upper right key="repeat" (to hear voice message again), lower right key="Cast Vote" (to vote the imaged ballot), lower left key="Return Ballot" (to eject the ballot for change or correction), and upper right key="Increase Speed" (to increase the rate at which contests and/or voice indications are presented). Any or all of these functional keys may be exaggerated in size or otherwise made easily distinguished by tactile feel. Such keyboard/button programming is commonly provided by software.
Display unit DU may be of any suitable type, such as a conventional cathode ray tube or computer display, an LCD display, a touch-screen display or other suitable device, for displaying images, alphanumeric and/or graphical information, and is typically connected to processor P via cabling. Display unit DU may also include Braille devices, aural information via headphones, or other devices specially suited for people with handicaps.
Preferably, ballot reader VM displays on display DU the vote as marked on the optically-readable ballot 100 scanned, and requires at least one confirmation, and preferably a second confirmation, by the voter that the displayed voting record is indeed the vote(s) the voter intended to cast, in order to cast the ballot. Information as to any offices or questions or referenda with respect to which a vote has not been cast can also be displayed and called to the voter's attention before the ballot review session is concluded. Upon the voter confirming the displayed vote, the electronic data thereof is provided to the memory M of voting machine VM. Preferably, the same electronic data provided to display unit DU to be displayed to the voter is communicated to memory M over a common path so there is certainty of consistency, although this is not necessary as it may be convenient for processor P to provide such electronic data in the particular forms required by memory M. It is preferred, but not necessary, that the ballot image of ballot 100 be stored in memory M.
The preferred ballot reader apparatus as illustrated by
A processor P within voting machine VM typically employs application specific computer software or an applications shell in conjunction with a standard relational data base computer program to operatively function with ballot imager 1031, 1032 for reading optically-readable ballots 100 and for writing data such as ballot images to be stored in the memory M thereof. The computer software for processor P typically may utilize the "Visual Basic" programming language and a relational data base such as the "Access" data base, both of which are available from Microsoft Corporation located in Redmond, Wash., and may be stored on any convenient medium, such as software stored on a floppy disk or a hard drive or as firmware stored in an electronic memory or the like.
Optionally, one or more voting machines, e.g., VM-1, VM-2, . . . VM-n may be provided for voters to insert their marked optically-readable ballots 100 and to cast their votes, such as for candidates for office, or for or against public questions, referenda, constitutional amendments and the like, in accordance with governing law. Voting machines VM-1, VM-2, . . . VM-n may be together at a common location, e.g., a polling place, or may be dispersed in any convenient number of places.
At the end of the prescribed period for voting, e.g., when the polls close, voting machines VM my be coupled to a central computer and may communicate either the accumulated voting result or individual voting records or ballot images, or all of the foregoing, to a central computer which then combines the voting data from voting machines VM to tabulate and produce vote results. Typically, the central computer would be located in a secure area or facility, such as a county or state election office, or both. Whether plural voting machines VM are located in close proximity, such as at one polling place or in a central facility to which they are brought at the conclusion of voting, or at diverse locations, communication by such machines with the central computer may be through a communication device CI, for example, a hub, a local communication hub, a local area network, the Internet, a server, the public telephone network, an electrical cable, or the like, or the memory or memories M may be removed from the voting machine VM and inserted into a reader associated with the central computer for reading the voting results stored in such memory or memories M.
It is noted that the present arrangement provides complete freedom to the voting (election) authorities as to how and when the voting data is communicated to the central computer. It may be communicated essentially in real time as each ballot is approved by the voter and the voted ballot 100 is cast, or at the end of each voting session, i.e. immediately and sequentially, or may be communicated periodically either through out the appointed period for voting or at the conclusion of voting, either from the voting machines while still at the polling places or from a central or other facility to which the voting machines VM are transported. Vote results may be announced or may be posted on the Internet or otherwise communicated as is desirable and convenient, either as cumulative results and/or as a collection of individual voting records.
For security and confidentiality, voting information communicated from one apparatus to another, whether such is in a common location or in separate or distant locations, is preferably encoded or encrypted, such as by public key and/or private key encryption or other encryption, as is conventional. Even where the voting information is communicated over communication links CI to which an unauthorized person may gain access, such as public telephone lines, radio communication or the Internet, the apparatus described provides additional security because there is always at least one separate set of records comprising the optically-readable ballots stored in the collection boxes 1040 of voting machines VM against which the otherwise communicated voting information can be compared and verified.
Thus, whether the election is local, regional, statewide or nationwide, the arrangement of the apparatus described is arranged for avoiding and circumventing any possible tampering and/or hacker attack. Of course, transporting the voting machines to a central facility with appropriate security avoids the possibility of tampering or hacking.
In the event any question arises as to the outcome of the voting, such as where the result is a very close or where the integrity of the primary vote results are challenged or questioned, a parallel and independent counting of the vote may be made utilizing the optically-readable ballots collected in secure collection box CB. The collected ballots in box CB may be processed through and are read by another reader VM and the voting results, either as a cumulative vote result or as a collection of individual voting records, or both, are produced thereby as vote result which is available for comparison to the primary vote result obtained from each reader VM or a collection of readers VM.
An example of the display of screens for voting using an electronic voting machine and the operation of a user interface including a display screen and a data input device, e.g., a keyboard and/or a touch screen display, as well as the electronic counting and/or tabulation of votes, are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/737,306 filed Dec. 15, 2000 and Ser. No. 10/255,348 filed Sep. 26, 2002, each of which is entitled "ELECTRONIC VOTING APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD" and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
An example of an optically-readable ballot and apparatus for reading and/or imaging same, as well as the method for reading such ballot and operating such apparatus, are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/410,824 filed Apr. 10, 2003, entitled "ELECTRONIC VOTING METHOD FOR OPTICALLY SCANNED BALLOT" which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In addition, an optically-readable ballot may have in or associated with the ballot identifier a page number where the ballot has plural pages. The page numbers would be sequential, and the ballot may be printed with ballot information on one side or on both sides of each sheet. Including a page number in the ballot identifier permits the ballot when scanned, i.e. imaged, to be decoded and checked to determine whether all pages that should be present are present. While pages being out of sequential order may not matter, having all pages of a sequence is important so that it can be determined whether a complete ballot has been scanned. Absence of one or more pages could indicate a scanning error, e.g., a double page feed or only one side of a two-sided ballot being scanned, or a missing page or sheet. In any case, it is important that a complete ballot be scanned (imaged) so that the complete ballot is completely and properly imaged and the vote marked thereon properly counted.
Further, it is preferred that the optically-readable ballot include fiducial or positional marks that allow the orientation of each page of a ballot, and of an image thereof, to be processed irrespective of its physical orientation when scanned or imaged. Typical marks include one or more of a "+" or bulls eye or other mark that defines its location, and an asymmetric arrangement of such marks is typical, e.g., three marks located near three of the four corners of a page. Such marks are easily identified in the ballot image and so allow ballot orientation to be determined and the ballot read from its image, as well as scaling of a ballot image because the distance between such marks on the ballot is predetermined.
In addition, screen 200 may advise that a "Skip Contest (No Vote)" option is available on the ballot form if the voter desires not to vote in any given contest or question, and/or may explain how the review screens appear and/or react to voter actions, e.g., as where a plural page ballot is in use. Typically, although not necessarily, marking the "Skip Contest (No Vote)" box for a contest indicates that any undervote with respect thereto is intentional, e.g., is an abstention, and should not be reason to reject or return a ballot.
Ballot display region 220 includes a plurality of defined regions 224, typically boxes defined by an outline, in which the various contests on the ballot are displayed, typically one per region 224. Ballot display regions 224 typically identify each contest (e.g., "Governor" or "United States Representative" or "State Proposition") and the allowed voting (e.g., "vote for 3") and may display all of the candidates and selections or may only display the selection marked on the ballot read. If all candidates and selections are displayed, then the selected one(s) are typically indicated by color or bolding or background color.
In ballot display 220, regions 220 that have been overvoted are indicated so as to stand out, e.g., typically by being filled with a background color that is the same as the color of the overvote box 212. Similarly, regions 220 that have been undervoted are also indicated so as to stand out, e.g., typically by being filled with a background color that is the same as the color of the undervote box 214. In the illustrated example screen 210, region 226 is highlighted to indicate an over vote and regions 228 are each highlighted to indicate an undervote. Undervotes and overvotes may be indicated by highlighting, outlining, flashing, blinking or otherwise so as to stand out, be distinctive and/or be easily recognized by the voter.
The ballot identifier and page number, if any, is typically displayed in a region 222 associated with the contests read from that ballot or page. Where a ballot has plural pages, more than one page thereof may be displayed by one screen 210 if the display d is of sufficient size to permit satisfactory readability or each page may be displayed by a separate screen 220 in which case "Next Page" and "Previous Page" buttons may be provided. In the example screen 210 illustrated, pages 1 and 2 of a ballot having the identifier 0001E001 are both displayed at the same time in page number order.
Display screens for voting that highlight and/or pop-up certain information on an electronic voting machine user interface including a display device and/or a touch screen display, are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/737,306 and No. 10/255,348 entitled "ELECTRONIC VOTING APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD" referred to above.
Where an optically-readable ballot includes one or more contests wherein the voting includes cumulative voting and/or ranked voting, the apparatus and method herein accepts and process such ballots. Examples of optically-readable ballots, including optically-readable ballots that provide for cumulative voting and/or for ranked voting in one or more contests, are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/410,824.
The prudent voter will desire to utilize the apparatus and method described herein. To that end, the voter submits 320 the marked optically-readable ballot to a reader VM to be scanned and imaged, typically in a TIFF or a BITMAP image format. Reader VM processes the imaged ballots, i.e. the ballot images are processed to decipher the information printed thereon as well as information marked thereon by the voter, such as marked mark sense areas and write-in voting spaces. Preferably as an initial matter, reader VM processes the imaged ballot to authenticate 330 the ballot and to determine 340 whether all pages of the ballot have been submitted 320.
Typically, a ballot image in a TIFF or a BITMAP image format may be a file having a size in the range of about 3-500 kilobytes. Even with 500 kilobytes ballot images, an election for a voting population of 100,000 voters would require only about 50 gigabytes of memory which is well within the storage capacity of modern hard drives and other memory devices. For larger voting populations, the memory capacity of modern servers is sufficient to store ballot image records. After an election, preferably soon thereafter, the ballot images stored on one or more hard-drives may be copied to a more permanent medium, such as to a CD ROM disk, to a DVD disk, or to another write-once read many times medium, for redundant storage and for protection against change or corruption of data.
Ballot authentication 330 typically involves processing the ballot image for decoding of the ballot identifier which may include representations of the voting jurisdiction/precinct and a unique alphanumerical ballot identifier that is compared against a list of authentic ballot identifiers stored in the processor of reader VM for such purpose. If the unique ballot identifier matches a known authentic ballot identifier on the stored list, then the ballot is considered authenticated and is further processed. If not, the ballot may be returned (ejected) 335 or an election official may be summoned, e.g., as by an alarm or other audio or visual indication, to investigate. Once matched, a ballot identifier may be flagged on the stored list thereof as having been voted or may be removed from the stored list so as to prevent duplicate voting, e.g., as by submitting 320 a photocopy of an authentic ballot.
Ballot checking 340 also typically involves processing the ballot image for decoding of the ballot identifier which may include a representation of the ballot page numbers associated with the unique alphanumerical ballot identifier to determine whether all pages are present. The numbers of pages and page numbers of the ballot submitted 320 are processed to ensure that all pages associated with the unique ballot identifier have been scanned, e.g. by comparison against a list of ballot pages related to ballot identifiers stored in the processor of reader VM for such purpose. While it may be acceptable in certain cases to simply determined the number of pages submitted 320, at least as an initial step, it is preferred that each page number be checked to verify that each page number expected is indeed present and is present only once. The pages need not be in page number order when scanned, because the processor can order the pages in a desired sequence, if desired. If all of the pages of a given ballot have been scanned, then the ballot is considered complete 340 and is further processed. If not, the ballot is returned 335.
If a write-in vote is allowed, the ballot regions of the ballot image where write in votes may be made are checked 340 and, if a write-in vote is has been marked, the image thereof may be copied to a separate file in addition to their presence in the ballot image. The separate write-in vote images may be accumulated for later processing, e.g., by election officials utilizing manual or automatic means. In such case, any write-in votes also remain in the stored ballot image and so are available for recount or voting audit, if needed.
If the ballot is authentic 330 and is complete (all pages scanned) 340, then the ballot image for each page will be displayed 350, e.g., as described above in relation to
Preferably, as part of the step of checking 340 the optically-readable ballot image, a check 340 is performed to determine if undervote or an overvote is present for any contest. In the ballot display 350, undervotes and overvotes may be highlighted, marked by a color that stands out, outlined, are made to blink or flash, or otherwise conspicuously identified so that the voter is highly likely to notice such issues and so be more likely to take steps to correct same.
Where an optically-readable ballot includes one or more contests wherein the voting includes cumulative voting and/or ranked voting, the apparatus and method herein accepts and processes such ballots. In the case of cumulative voting, ballot checking step 345 further checks to verify whether the number of cumulative votes marked constitutes an undervote or overvote and, if so, such contest is highlighted or outlined or colored to attract the voter's attention to increase the likelihood the undervote or overvote will be corrected.
Similarly, in the case of ranked voting, ballot checking step 345 further checks to verify whether the votes marked include the proper ranking (i.e. one vote ranked #1, one vote ranked #2, one vote ranked #3, etc.) and whether the marked vote constitutes an undervote (e.g., one rank omitted) or overvote (e.g., more than one vote for a given ranking). If so, such contest is highlighted or outlined or colored to attract the voter's attention to increase the likelihood the improper ranking, undervote or overvote will be corrected. Preferably, the display 350 indicates the nature of the voting error, e.g., by causing the missed ranking or the plural voted ranking to blink or flash.
Examples of optically-readable ballots, including optically-readable ballots that provide for cumulative voting and/or for ranked voting in one or more contests, and of a method for processing same, are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/410,824. Ballots may be of any size and format, e.g., punch card size, 8˝×11 inch size, 11×17 inch size, A4 metric size or any other size. A ballot may be formatted as a full-face ballot, a plural page ballot, a summary ballot, may have voting selections indicated by numbers and/or contest/issue information and/or candidate name, and the like, and/or may have mark sense areas on one or both sides, i.e. may be a single-sided or a two-sided ballot.
Herein is a significant advantage of the described arrangement in that the voter has the opportunity to review the result of his marked optically-readable having been read by the optical reader VM and so to have greater confidence that his vote as intended has been properly and completely read and will be accurately cast and counted. Moreover, in addition to the accuracy provided by the electronic processing of the vote, a complete and verifiable paper audit trail is provided by the marked paper ballots in the collection container.
If the voter is satisfied 360 that his intended voting selections have been made and properly decoded by reader VM, then the vote thereon may be cast 365. Casting the vote 365 may include several substantially contemporaneous actions such as storing 370 the ballot image, storing 370 a summary voting record and/or accumulating 375 the vote with vote counts previously stored. Such information may is preferably stored 370 in plural separate and independent secure memories for redundancy and security. If desired or required, a separate and independent secure memory may be provided for each of the ballot image, the voting record and the vote tabulation, i.e. the three types of data are stored in three separate memories, and each of these three memories may also be redundant.
Casting the vote 365 also initiates the automatic collection 380 of the ballot, which has remained in reader VM since it was submitted 320, into a secure collection container. Preferably, the ballot pages submitted 320 to reader VM are not accessible to the voter except by using the commands (cast ballot 365 or return ballot 385) displayed 350 by reader VM. As far as the paper ballot is concerned, there are only two possible choices—either the vote marked thereon as read therefrom is cast and the ballot collected, or the ballot is returned and no vote is recorded therefor. When a ballot is returned, all ballot pages submitted are returned.
Even if the voter is satisfied 360 and acts to cast the vote, the vote may be cast 365 or not cast as required by applicable voting standards, laws and rules, as well as by prudent computing protections. For example, reader VM could respond to the cast 365 action by requiring confirmation, e.g., by displaying a window that inquires "Are you sure?" to protect against a vote being case 360 by accidental or unintended operation of the Cast button without a second confirming action by the voter.
Further, if an undervote or overvote is present, then reader VM may be programmed to not accept a cast 365 action, e.g., in the absolute by automatically returning 385 the ballot or by requiring the voter to confirm that the undervote or overvote is intended regardless of the consequence. For example, a window may be displayed including buttons that can be touched or pressed and that present the choices such as:
"Submit ballot as is. I realize there is/are overvoted contests and measures." and
"Submit ballot as is. I realize there is/are undervoted contests and measures."
Such action and choices may be provided whether or not an undervote or overvote would result in invalidation of a vote in the particular contest undervoted or overvoted, or in invalidation of the entire ballot. Alternatively, if an undervote, overvote or other error is found that would result in the ballot being disqualified, such ballot may be ejected, i.e. returned to the voter so that no invalid ballot is accepted.
If the voter is not satisfied 360 for any reason, he may initiate action to return 385 the ballot so that he can change it, correct it, or obtain and mark a replacement ballot (repeat of 310, 315) and then submit 320 the changed, corrected or replacement ballot as described. Even if the voter is satisfied 360, or even if the ballot contains an error such as an undervote or an overvote, the voter may elect for return 385 of the ballot for manual deposit 390 in the secure collection box.
Process 300 ends 399 when the ballot is collected 385 or deposited 390. Thereafter, the accumulated ballot images and/or voting results may be read, out for tallying the result of the election. It is noted that process 300 may include a step 395 following the cast ballot step 360 for preventing the ballot images and/or accumulated results from being read out before a predetermined date, i.e. a controlled release date. This feature beneficially allows the process to be utilized for advance voting, absentee ballot voting and/or provisional ballot voting wherein ballots may be submitted in advance of the day of the election, wherein the ballots may be authenticated and processed 300 as received or at a convenient time, and need not be held until the election day, thereby easing the work of election officials on election day and facilitating a prompt processing of the vote and announcing of an election result.
The present arrangement has the potential to reduce instances of voters being disenfranchised by improper marking of the ballot, by mistake and/or by confusion. The present arrangement also has the potential to reduce unintentional undervoting as well as overvoting that can cause a vote in a contest or an entire ballot to be disqualified. Also importantly, the voter is provided the opportunity for return of his marked ballot so that any error or unintended vote can be rectified before the ballot is irrevocably submitted.
Scanner Setting region 252 of screen 250 provides a user interface that includes buttons and windows for identifying the desired data source and mode, for identifying the paper size of the ballots to be scanned, selecting Duplex (two sided) scanning, and specifying the resolution at which scanning is to be done. Typically, the Paper Size selection is provided by a window that opens to allow selection for various standard size papers, e.g., 8.5×11 inch (US letter), 8.5×14 inch (US legal), international sizes (A4, B4, etc.), and the like.
Ballot Setting region 254 provides various options for controlling the manner in which reader VM is to be used, other than for ballot counting provided for in region 256. Several choices are typically available in ballot setting region 256. Check Ballot Data could be utilized, for example, to read ballots to check for undervoting and overvoting, and/or for missing pages. Scan Blank Ballots could be utilized, for example, to scan a set of ballots to record the ballot identifiers thereof for later checking to authenticate ballots that are later scanned for counting the voting selections marked thereon. Test scanning could be utilized for scanning a one or more specially marked ballots that contain various voting errors and/or degrees of filling in of the voting mark sense areas for testing and/or verifying the operation of reader VM in accordance with the selected checking and/or counting criteria.
Ballot Counting region 256 provides various options for specifying how votes will be determined and counted. A box is provided for specifying the directory and file name under which the scanned ballot images stored, and may also allow specifying the directory and files wherein vote tabulations are to be stored. The Acceptable Filled Percentage selection allows election officials t set a variable to select the percentage of fill in that must exist in a mark sense area before the area will be counted as having been marked, i.e. as a valid vote, it being noted that this value would typically set to a standard value by law or rule prior to an election and would not be set arbitrarily. This selection also allows testing of the vote counts where the ballots are counted using the standard percentage value and are then recounted at a slightly higher and at a slightly lower percentage to identify potentially ambiguously marked mark sense spaces that might warrant inspection.
Ballot Counting region 256 also provides two options for processing the votes: i.e. to Scan & Count ballots 258, which indicates that a set of ballots are scanned, imaged, images stored, and marked votes thereon counted with the voting tabulated, and to Recount Scanned Ballots 257, which indicates that a set of ballots previously scanned are recounted from the ballot images thereof that were stored in a previous scanning. The latter operation 257 is much faster because it does not include the physical scanning of the paper ballot forms, but may be entirely electronic, e.g., reprocessing the stored TIFF or BITMAP ballot images. The latter operation typically would be utilized to recount the ballots at the mark sense fill percentages that are higher and lower than the standard percentage.
Apparatus and method for determining marked spaces based upon percentage of fill are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/410,824 entitled "ELECTRONIC VOTING METHOD FOR OPTICALLY SCANNED BALLOT" referred to above.
If a ballot is cast, then pivotable member 1042 is pivoted upward (shown dashed) into an open position for opening collection box 1040 and directing the cast ballot 100 into collection box 1040 as ballot 100 is moved along transport path 1030. In the open position, member 1042 preferably closes the rightward end of transport path 1030. Preferably, pivotable member 1042 returns to the downward or closed position after the cast ballot 100 has been moved into collection box 1040.
If a ballot 100 is rejected or is for any reason not cast, then pivotable member 1042 remains in the pivoted downward or closed position, and collection box 1040 is closed so that as ballot 100 cannot enter therein and is returned to the voter. As rejected or uncast ballot 100 is moved along transport path 1030, it exits transport path 1030 to position 1044, e.g., a tray or rack or the like, from which the voter may retrieve the rejected or uncast ballot 100 for correcting and/or changing it. The corrected and/or changed ballot 100 may then be submitted again as described herein.
While the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing example embodiments, variations within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the claims following will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the steps set forth in process 300 need not be performed in the order illustrated, but may be performed in any other suitable order, and certain steps may be omitted it desired. For example, steps 330-345 may be performed in any order and may be performed substantially contemporaneously. In such case, the processing of the ballot image may interleave portions of each step in performing the processing of the ballot image.
Further, steps 370-380 may be performed in any order and may be performed substantially contemporaneously. In such case, for example, the processing steps of storing 370 the vote and the ballot image and tallying 375 the vote may be performed electronically and contemporaneously with the physical step 380 of moving the ballot to the collection container. Moreover, tallying 375 the vote may comprise storing the decoded vote as read from the processed ballot image, and may also comprise updating an accumulated total of the votes of ballots previously cast to include the ballot presently being cast.
Tallying 375 may also include communicating the ballot image, the decoded vote therefrom and or the accumulated vote tally via communication interface CI to a computer separate from the ballot reader VM, e.g., contemporaneously or at a later time. The ballot may be imaged or read, the terms as used herein being substantially functionally interchangeable with respect to sensing and converting the information on a physical ballot into an electronic form. A ballot image may be an electronic form of an actual image of a physical ballot or of selected portions of a ballot or may be an electronic record containing information obtained from an actual image of a ballot.
The term contest is used herein to include any part of a ballot, whether that may be to make a choice from one or more candidates for an office or position, to vote on a question, proposition, measure, referendum, constitutional amendment, or any other matter.
Buttons and boxes may, if for receiving instructions from a user, respond to touching or pressing, e.g., on a touch screen display, or by positioning a cursor and clicking, e.g., using a computer mouse, accessing via the tab key and acting via the enter key, pressing certain keys or combinations thereof, or any other suitable arrangement. Boxes or windows are typically for the entry of information, typically by entry of alphanumeric information from a keyboard or by pointing an clicking to open a window presenting a list from which a choice may be selected.
Finally, numerical values stated are typical or example values, and are not limiting values. Voting selections may be to vote for up to a particular number of selections, to rank selections, to vote cumulatively or in any other manner.
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Vote now for this week's HyVee High School Football Game of the week!
This week's matchups are:
Blue Springs at Blue Springs South
Blue Valley at SM Northwest
Eudora at Bonner Springs
Grandview at Grain Valley
The winning matchup will be featured on KMBC 9 News at 10 p.m. Friday. KMBC's Len Dawson will also broadcast live from the game at 6 p.m. Friday.
The winning schools also receive a $500 check with HyVee.
Good luck! Spread the word, and vote as often as you like!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
"Today marks Kingsley's Fourth year anniversary since his untimely death and I want to honour his memory by saying how Kingsley was a loving kind brother who loved his children dearly." Read more
It is exactly 40 years since the bombing of two Birmingham pubs - the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern In The Town. A further 182 people were injured in the attacks of November 21 1974. Read more
Take a look at the 4WardEver UK Remembrance Calendar. This calendar was set up in remembrance of all those that have died in police, prison, mental health and capital punishment institutions... Read more
We all know male revolutionaries like Che Guevara, but history often tends to gloss over the contributions of female revolutionaries that have sacrificed their time, efforts, and lives. Read more
They assembled in the shadows of Mark Duggan's old neighborhood to march to the spot where the father-of-six was killed on August 4, 2011. Read more
Nelson Mandela International Day was launched in recognition of Nelson Mandela's birthday on 18 July, 2009 via unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly. It was inspired by a call Nelson... Read more
Over 100 people rallied in Sydney on the anniversary of Eddie Murray's death in police custody in a northwestern New South Wales town of Wee Waa 33 years ago. Murray's murder was one of the... Read more
People who donated cash towards a memorial bench for a Whitstable-born peace campaigner, Brian Haw, [were] invited to an afternoon of music and celebration of his life. On Sunday 1st June me... Read more


text:
In Windermere, Fla., the 11th-ranked University of New Mexico men's golf team found out Tuesday how far away it is from the No. 1 spot in the collegiate ranks.
Fifty-four strokes.
The Lobos crept up another spot during the final round of the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational and finished 12th among the 15 teams playing 54-hole event at the Isleworth Golf and Country Club. UNM shot a 14-over 302 on Tuesday and finished at 28-over 892 (297-293-302).
Top-ranked and defending national champion Alabama proved why it was undefeated going into the tournament by winning with a 26-under 838 (280-272-286). The Crimson Tide defeated No. 16 and co-host UCF (282-281-287=850, 14 under) by 12 strokes.
Alabama, which defeated UNM 4-1 in match play at the 2013 NCAA Championship in May, shot a course-record 16-under 272 on Monday and showed its dominance against a field that included 13 other teams ranked in Golfweek/Sagarin's Top 50.
No. 4 California (284-286-289=859) was third at 5 under. Those were the only teams under par at the event.
"On a golf course like this, where the shots and the areas you have to hit are that specific and precise, course management is crucial," UNM coach Glen Millican said. "When you don't know the course real well, sometimes it can come back and get you."
Lobo juniors Gavin Green and Victor Perez, who were part of the UNM team that advanced to the NCAA Championship's match-play round last season, finished with solid results at the Isleworth.
"Gavin and Victor both did a nice job to finish high in a great field like this," Millican said. "Both had to battle back a little bit, but they both had a good tournament."
The pair tied for 16th at 1-over 217. Green (77-70-70) made his way back into the top-20 after shooting 5 over in the first round. Perez (70-74-73) was UNM's most consistent player during the event. The duo finished 12 strokes behind Alabama champion Trey Mullinax (66-68-71), who carded an 11-under 205.
Florida State's Hank Lebioda was second with a 7-under 209 (72-68-69).
The UNM golfers playing Isleworth for the first time struggled. True freshman Andrej Bevins' 8-over 80 during the final round left him tied for 64th place at 15-over (74-77-80=231). Junior Sam Saunders (80-73-79) and sophomore Dylan Healey (76-76-80) tied for 66th at 16-over 232, after shooting 7 and 8 over par, respectively, on Tuesday.
"Hopefully, this was something that they can learn from," Millican said of the three.
The Lobos get a chance to regroup right away as they will return to action on Monday for the two-day, 54-hole Royal Oaks Intercollegiate in Dallas, Texas.
"Maybe with the way we struggled out here, it got their attention a little bit," Millican said, "and then we can come back next week and be ready to go to Texas."


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Given a new set of incisors to enforce campaign finance law, the Secretary of State's office Wednesday unveiled a new online reporting system aimed at making it easier to trace donations and publicly identify entities that drag their feet on filing.
The new system will go online next Wednesday, a few days before the official start of fundraising for the 2014 election cycle on June 3. Secretary of State Beth Chapman said the system will allow PACs and candidates for state offices to file "completely electronically" and flag those that miss reporting deadlines.
"The whole world will see that they're late with their reports," Chapman said at a demonstration Wednesday morning. "The press will see they're late with their reports. It will encourage transparency."
The first deadline for filing under the new system is July 2, for campaign activity in the month of June.
The new system comes as the Secretary of State gets new teeth. In the past, the office collected and presented campaign filings, but had little power to enforce the laws; the Attorney General's office generally made those calls. On Monday, the Legislature approved a campaign finance bill that, among other provisions, authorizes the Secretary of State's office to fine violators for missing filing deadlines. The fines range from $300 for a first offense to up to 20 percent of the amount not reported following a third or subsequent violation.
Deputy Secretary of State Emily Thompson said Wednesday afternoon the means of getting those fines aren't spelled out.
"It does give us ability to collect the fines in law, but it's not clearly set in law how we are to collect them," she said. "But it does give us that ability."
The bill has been sent to Gov. Robert Bentley for his signature. Jennifer Ardis, a spokeswoman for Bentley, said Wednesday the legislation was under review.
The new campaign finance system will also allow candidates and committees to register online "24/7," Chapman said. Individuals will also be able to track the entire history of a candidate or committee's activity; the financial activity of candidates running for a particular office, and the specific amount of donations given to a candidate. Chapman also said funds will have to be entered electronically, which she hoped would lead to more accurate reporting.
Initially, the new system will only contain information for the 2014 election cycle. Chapman said the old campaign finance system, with its reports going back to the late 90s, will remain online until the historic data can be moved into the new system. There is no timeframe set on that.
The system will not cover municipal candidates. County commission candidates are not required to use the new system, but may do so if they desire.
Indiana-based Quest Information Systems handled the upgrade. Chapman said the contract with the company was worth about $300,000; state records show the company had been paid $121,000 through Wednesday. It would be the first upgrade of the state's campaign finance disclosure system since the 1990s, said Adam Thompson, Chapman's Deputy Chief of Staff.
– posted by Brian Lyman


text:
Document Type
- Article (15)
- Conference Proceeding (1)
- Allgemeinmedizin (1)
- Best-practice model (1)
- Case management (1)
- Colorectal cancer (1)
- Cross-sectional (1)
- E-Learning (1)
- Ethnicity (1)
- Evaluation (1)
- Hard-to-reach population (1)
- Health care access (1)
- Curriculares Semniar Evidenzbasierte Medizin am Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main (2005)
- Poster: Einführung Obwohl international die Integration der Evidenzbasierten Medizin (EbM) in die klinische Medizin und in die Ausbildung voranschreitet, ist die Verbreitung im deutschen Klinikalltag eine fortbestehende Herausforderung. Die Neue Ärzteapprobationsordnung bietet Möglichkeiten für innovative Konzepte im medizinischen Curriculum. Die selbstständige und systematische Informationssuche ist eine Kernkompetenz u.a. auch der hausärztlichen Tätigkeit. Zum Wintersemester 03/04 wurde in Frankfurt das erste curriculare Seminar EbM auf der Basis des peer-teaching eingeführt und wissenschaftlich begleitet. Methoden In Kleingruppenseminaren zu je 23 Studierenden des 2. klinischen Semesters wird an 4 Terminen ein Basiskurs EbM nach den Kriterien des Deutschen Netzwerkes für Evidenzbasierte Medizin e.V. durchgeführt. Dabei werden folgende E-Learning-Module erarbeitet: Internetrecherche, Diagnose und Therapie in tutorenunterstützten Kleingruppen. Jeder Studierende hat einen persönlichen Arbeitsplatz mit Internetzugang, um anfallende Recherchen nach externer Evidenz durchführen zu können. Ein individuelles Fallbeispiel (klinische Fragestellung) soll bearbeitet werden, zu dessen Beantwortung die internetgestützten Tools der evidenzbasierten Methode angewendet werden. Diese Seminararbeit wird im Rahmen eines "journal clubs" mit der Kleingruppe ausgewertet und evaluiert. Ergebnisse Die Akzeptanz des Seminars und der Wissenszuwachs durch evidenzbasiertes Arbeiten wurden durch Weberschock et al (2005) wissenschaftlich erfasst und zeigen positive Ergebnisse. Schlussfolgerung Das Seminar EbM ist auf elektronische Medien angewiesen. Vor allem das Modul Internetrecherche, ist eine essentielle Kompetenz für die ärztliche Tätigkeit und bedarf den sichern Umgang mit den entsprechenden internetgestützten Anwendungen.
- Colorectal cancer stage at diagnosis in migrants versus non-migrants (KoMigra): study protocol of a cross-sectional study in Germany (2014)
- Background: In Germany, about 20% of the total population have a migration background. Differences exist between migrants and non-migrants in terms of health care access and utilisation. Colorectal cancer is the second most common malignant tumour in Germany, and incidence, staging and survival chances depend, amongst other things, on ethnicity and lifestyle. The current study investigates whether stage at diagnosis differs between migrants and non-migrants with colorectal cancer in an area of high migration and attempts to identify factors that can explain any differences. Methods/Design: Data on tumour and migration status will be collected for 1,200 consecutive patients that have received a new, histologically verified diagnosis of colorectal cancer in a high migration area in Germany in the previous three months. The recruitment process is expected to take 16 months and will include gastroenterological private practices and certified centres for intestinal diseases. Descriptive and analytical analysis will be performed: the distribution of variables for migrants versus non-migrants and participants versus non-participants will be analysed using appropriate χ2-, t-, F- or Wilcoxon tests. Multivariable, logistic regression models will be performed, with the dependent variable being the dichotomized stage of the tumour (UICC stage I versus more advanced than UICC stage I). Odds ratios and associated 95%-confidence intervals will be calculated. Furthermore, ordered logistic regression models will be estimated, with the exact stage of the tumour at diagnosis as the dependent variable. Predictors used in the ordered logistic regression will be patient characteristics that are specific to migrants as well as patient characteristics that are not. Interaction models will be estimated in order to investigate whether the effects of patient characteristics on stage of tumour at the time of the initial diagnosis is different in migrants, compared to non-migrants. Discussion: An association of migration status or other socioeconomic variables with stage at diagnosis of colorectal cancer would be an important finding with respect to equal health care access among migrants. It would point to access barriers or different symptom appraisal and, in the long term, could contribute to the development of new health care concepts for migrants. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00005056.
- How to improve drug dosing for patients with renal impairment in primary care - a cluster-randomized controlled trial (2012)
- Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk for inappropriate or potentially harmful prescribing. The aim of this study was to examine whether a multifaceted intervention including the use of a software programme for the estimation of creatinine clearance and recommendation of individual dosage requirements may improve correct dosage adjustment of relevant medications for patients with CKD in primary care. Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted between January and December 2007 in small primary care practices in Germany. Practices were randomly allocated to intervention or control groups. In each practice, we included patients with known CKD and elderly patients (>=70 years) suffering from hypertension. The practices in the intervention group received interactive training and were provided a software programme to assist with individual dose adjustment. The control group performed usual care. Data were collected at baseline and at 6 months. The outcome measures, analyzed across individual patients, included prescriptions exceeding recommended maximum daily doses, with the primary outcome being prescriptions exceeding recommended standard daily doses by 30% or more. Results: Data from 44 general practitioners and 404 patients are included. The intervention was effective in reducing prescriptions exceeding the maximum daily dose per patients, with a trend in reducing prescriptions exceeding the standard daily dose by more than 30%. Conclusions: A multifaceted intervention including the use of a software program effectively reduced inappropriately high doses of renally excreted medications in patients with CKD in the setting of small primary care practices.
- Primary care practice-based care management for chronically ill patients (PraCMan): study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN56104508] (2011)
- Background: Care management programmes are an effective approach to care for high risk patients with complex care needs resulting from multiple co-occurring medical and non-medical conditions. These patients are likely to be hospitalized for a potentially "avoidable" cause. Nurse-led care management programmes for high risk elderly patients showed promising results. Care management programmes based on health care assistants (HCAs) targeting adult patients with a high risk of hospitalisation may be an innovative approach to deliver cost-efficient intensified care to patients most in need. Methods: PraCMan is a cluster randomized controlled trial with primary care practices as unit of randomisation. The study evaluates a complex primary care practice-based care management of patients at high risk for future hospitalizations. Eligible patients either suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic heart failure or any combination. Patients with a high likelihood of hospitalization within the following 12 months (based on insurance data) will be included in the trial. During 12 months of intervention patients of the care management group receive comprehensive assessment of medical and non-medical needs and resources as well as regular structured monitoring of symptoms. Assessment and monitoring will be performed by trained HCAs from the participating practices. Additionally, patients will receive written information, symptom diaries, action plans and a medication plan to improve self-management capabilities. This intervention is addition to usual care. Patients from the control group receive usual care. Primary outcome is the number of all-cause hospitalizations at 12 months follow-up, assessed by insurance claims data. Secondary outcomes are health-related quality of life (SF12, EQ5D), quality of chronic illness care (PACIC), health care utilisation and costs, medication adherence (MARS), depression status and severity (PHQ-9), self-management capabilities and clinical parameters. Data collection will be performed at baseline, 12 and 24 months (12 months post-intervention). Discussion: Practice-based care management for high risk individuals involving trained HCAs appears to be a promising approach to face the needs of an aging population with increasing care demands. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN56104508
- Development of a primary care-based complex care management intervention for chronically ill patients at high risk for hospitalization: a study protocol (2010)
- Background: Complex care management is seen as an approach to face the challenges of an ageing society with increasing numbers of patients with complex care needs. The Medical Research Council in the United Kingdom has proposed a framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions that will be used to develop and evaluate a primary care-based complex care management program for chronically ill patients at high risk for future hospitalization in Germany. Methods and design: We present a multi-method procedure to develop a complex care management program to implement interventions aimed at reducing potentially avoidable hospitalizations for primary care patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or chronic heart failure and a high likelihood of hospitalization. The procedure will start with reflection about underlying precipitating factors of hospitalizations and how they may be targeted by the planned intervention (pre-clinical phase). An intervention model will then be developed (phase I) based on theory, literature, and exploratory studies (phase II). Exploratory studies are planned that entail the recruitment of 200 patients from 10 general practices. Eligible patients will be identified using two ways of 'case finding': software based predictive modelling and physicians' proposal of patients based on clinical experience. The resulting subpopulations will be compared regarding healthcare utilization, care needs and resources using insurance claims data, a patient survey, and chart review. Qualitative studies with healthcare professionals and patients will be undertaken to identify potential barriers and enablers for optimal performance of the complex care management program. Discussion: This multi-method procedure will support the development of a primary care-based care management program enabling the implementation of interventions that will potentially reduce avoidable hospitalizations.
- Predictors of dropout in the German disease management program for type 2 diabetes (2012)
- Background: To improve and assess the effectiveness of disease management programs (DMPs), it is critical to understand how many people drop out of disease management programs and why. Methods: We used routine data provided by a statutory health insurance fund from the regions North Rhine, North Wurttemberg and Hesse. As part of the German DMP for type 2 diabetes, the insurance fund received regular documentation of all members participating in the program. We followed 10,989 patients who enrolled in the DMP between July 2004 and December 2005 until the end of 2007 to study how many patients dropped out of the program. Dropout was defined based on the discontinuation of program documentation on a particular patient, excluding situations in which the patient died or left the insurance fund. Predictors of dropout, assessed at the time of program enrolment, were explored using logistic regression analysis. Results: 5.5% of the patients dropped out of the disease management program within the observation period. Predictors of dropout at the time of enrolment were: region; retirement status; the number of secondary diseases; presence of a disabling secondary disease; doctors recommendations to stop smoking or to seek nutritional counselling; and the completion and outcome of the routine foot and eye exams. Different trends of dropout were observed among retired and employed patients: retired patients of old age, who possibly drop out of the program due to other health care priorities and employed people of younger age who have not yet developed many secondary diseases, but were recommended to change their lifestyle. Conclusions: Overall, dropout rates for the German disease management programs for type 2 diabetes were low compared to other studies. Factors assessed at the time of program enrolment were predictive of later dropout and should be further studied to provide information for future program improvements.
- E-Learning in der allgemeinmedizinischen Ausbildung: zentrale Begleitung im dezentralen Praktikum ; Eine Evaluation (2005)
- E-Learning soll im Rahmen der allgemeinmedizinischen Ausbildung von Medizinstudierenden erprobt werden. Ein zielgruppenspezifisches, multimodulares Online-Angebot begleitet Medizinstudenten des 10. Semesters während ihres dezentralen Praktikums in hausärztlichen Praxen. Folgende Lehrziele werden angestrebt: (1) Einführung in das E-Learning, (2) Klinische Allgemeinmedizin - Online-Modul, (3) Chronic Care Online-Modul, (4) Online-Bewerbung. Die systematische Evaluation zeigt, dass E-Learning die Kommunikation der Studierenden untereinander und mit der universitären Lehreinheit während des Praktikum fördert. Auf der Grundlage der in diesem Pilotversuch gewonnenen Erfahrungen erscheint die Kombination mit Präsenzunterricht (Blended Learning) eine vielversprechende Option für die allgemeinmedizinische Ausbildung zu sein.
- Case management for the treatment of patients with major depression in general practices – rationale, design and conduct of a cluster randomized controlled trial – PRoMPT (primary care monitoring for depressive patient's trial) [ISRCTN66386086] – Study protocol (2005)
- Background: Depression is a disorder with high prevalence in primary health care and a significant burden of illness. The delivery of health care for depression, as well as other chronic illnesses, has been criticized for several reasons and new strategies to address the needs of these illnesses have been advocated. Case management is a patient-centered approach which has shown efficacy in the treatment of depression in highly organized Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) settings and which might also be effective in other, less structured settings. Methods/Design: PRoMPT (PRimary care Monitoring for depressive Patients Trial) is a cluster randomised controlled trial with General Practice (GP) as the unit of randomisation. The aim of the study is to evaluate a GP applied case-management for patients with major depressive disorder. 70 GPs were randomised either to intervention group or to control group with the control group delivering usual care. Each GP will include 10 patients suffering from major depressive disorder according to the DSM-IV criteria. The intervention group will receive treatment based on standardized guidelines and monthly telephone monitoring from a trained practice nurse. The nurse investigates the patient's status concerning the MDD criteria, his adherence to GPs prescriptions, possible side effects of medication, and treatment goal attainment. The control group receives usual care – including recommended guidelines. Main outcome measure is the cumulative score of the section depressive disorders (PHQ-9) from the German version of the Prime MD Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D). Secondary outcome measures are the Beck-Depression-Inventory, self-reported adherence (adapted from Moriskey) and the SF-36. In addition, data are collected about patients' satisfaction (EUROPEP-tool), medication, health care utilization, comorbidity, suicide attempts and days out of work. The study comprises three assessment times: baseline (T0) , follow-up after 6 months (T1) and follow-up after 12 months (T2). Discussion: Depression is now recognized as a disorder with a high prevalence in primary care but with insufficient treatment response. Case management seems to be a promising intervention which has the potential to bridge the gap of the usually time-limited and fragmented provision of care. Case management has been proven to be effective in several studies but its application in the private general medical practice setting remains unclear.
- "Ein System der organisierten Verantwortungslosigkeit" : Prof. Ferdinand Gerlach kritisiert falsche Anreizsysteme und die Kluft zwischen ambulanter und stationärer Versorgung (2012)
- Prof. Ferdinand Gerlach im Gespräch mit FF-Redakteurin Dr. Anne Hardy.
- The systematic guideline review : method, rationale, and test on chronic heart failure (2009)
- Background Evidence-based guidelines potentially improve healthcare. However, their de-novo-development requires substantial resources - especially for complex conditions, and adaptation may be biased by contextually influenced recommendations in source guidelines. In this paper we describe a new approach to guideline development - the systematic guideline review method (SGR), and its application in the development of an evidence-based guideline for family physicians on chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods A systematic search for guidelines was carried out. Evidence-based guidelines on CHF management in adults in ambulatory care published in English or German between the years 2000 and 2004 were included. Guidelines on acute or right heart failure were excluded. Eligibility was assessed by two reviewers, methodological quality of selected guidelines was appraised using the AGREE-instrument, and a framework of relevant clinical questions for diagnostics and treatment was derived. Data were extracted into evidence tables, systematically compared by means of a consistency analysis and synthesized in a preliminary draft. Most relevant primary sources were re-assessed to verify the cited evidence. Evidence and recommendations were summarized in a draft guideline. Results Of 16 included guidelines five were of good quality. A total of 35 recommendations were systematically compared: 25/35 were consistent, 9/35 inconsistent, and 1/35 unratable (derived from a single guideline). Of the 25 consistencies, 14 based on consensus, seven on evidence and four differed in grading. Major inconsistencies were found in 3/9 of the inconsistent recommendations. We re-evaluated the evidence for 17 recommendations (evidence-based, differing evidence levels and minor inconsistencies) the majority was congruent. Incongruencies were found, where the stated evidence could not be verified in the cited primary sources, or where the evaluation in the source guidelines focused on treatment benefits and underestimated the risks. The draft guideline was completed in 8.5 man-months. The main limitation to this study was the lack of a second reviewer. Conclusions The systematic guideline review including framework development, consistency analysis and validation is an effective, valid, and resource saving-approach to the development of evidence-based guidelines.


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Results 21 to 23 of 23
- Join Date
- Feb 2003
- Location
- Toronto/Hamilton
- Posts
- 593
Posted On:
6/11/2008 11:10pm--
yeah Im starting to think that they might not be doing anything for me either.
don't know how I feel about the whole naturopathy thing, but thanks. And no, only have eyes and teeth covered by teaching assistants union.
I was thinking about competing at the tournament at the expo but I haven't been training specifically for competition jiujitsu for a while now so I dont think Im going to waste the money. No point in going otherwise really.... say hi to pat. if the throwdown gets changed to the 28th I might be there, tell him to come out and we can spar and roll around a bit.
Registered Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2006
- Location
- Canada
- Posts
- 564
Posted On:
6/13/2008 12:58pm
Style: Grappling/BJJ--
Biotest has 'greens' product that came out recently. http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1900223
Haven't tried it though so I can't comment on taste etc. For energy I usually like to use "Surge" before I go to BJJ or the gym.
- Join Date
- Oct 2007
- Location
- Posts
- 40
Posted On:
6/16/2008 1:12am
Style: ITF TKD / MT / BJJ--
From comparing all of the most popular brands, Amazing Grass is the best brand of greens supplement and it's the one I've been using for a long time.
You shouldn't just rely on this, although it's one of the best types of supplements, I love mixing it with so many things. I also like to add dinosaur kale (the most manly kale available) to my smoothies.


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Below is the poem entitled Never Ending Battle which was written by poet
Radlinger. Please feel free to comment on this poem. However, please remember, PoetrySoup is a place of encouragement and growth.
Read Poems by
Miki Radlinger
Intoxicating tendrils of smoke
Swarm around my head
Calling me towards there smoky start
My mind swirls and flips
I become dizzy wit desire
"No, stop it!!" I cry out
Strangers turn and stare
I'm crazy is what their thinking
"Go away!!" tears stream down my face
Just a puff my subconscious tells me
Just one, that is all you need
I begin to choke on the grey fingers
That grip around my throat
Desire is swallowing me whole
"No!" I choke out
I have a family that cares for me
My anger begins to flare
My sword slices at the smoky haze
It begins to fade away
I can think a little more clearly
Dizziness withdraws from my mind
'I'm free' crosses my mind
But the tendrils begin seeping back towards me
This battle has only just begun
A comment has not been posted for this poem. Encourage a poet by being the first to comment.


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Work begins on new fire station in Burwell
Posted: February 03, 2014|
Construction has begun on a new £1 million fire station in Burwell.
The new site, located on land adjacent to the existing station in Reach Road, will be home to crews from both Burwell and Swaffham Bulbeck when it opens later in the year.
A public consultation was held last year over the merger between the two rural fire stations, with 88 per cent of responses in favour of the amalgamation, according to the fire service.
Sir Peter Brown, chairman of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority, said: "This new station will be a significant improvement on the existing facilities we have in the area.
"Firefighters will be able to keep up their competences using the new on-site training building rather than travelling to another facility.
"It is a real positive that the service is able to continue to invest in new equipment for operational firefighters to ensure the residents of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough get the best service."
The new station will include a purpose built on-site training facility – currently not available at any of the existing stations – along with community facilities.
An agreement was made between the fire service and Cambridgeshire County Council to allow the use of the land for the £1 million fire station.
The merger was originally met with opposition by retained firefighters in Swaffham Bulbeck, who told the News they were concerned they would be overlooked as they live further from Burwell fire station.
One of the reasons given for the closure of the Swaffham Bulbeck station was the fire engine only attended 11 incidents between during 2012/13 financial year – four of which were false alarms.
The rest of the incidents in the area were attended by fire engines from elsewhere in the county.
The construction work, which is due to be completed in the autumn, will be carried out by SEH French and project managed by Ingleton Wood.


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Is the Rock River Times looking for a sportswriter? Because you sure need one.
- Rockford visitor spending jumps
- The misguided Cecil the lion debate
- State, union extend contract again
- Willow Creek left in the dust by development
- CUB helps residents find best deal
- What the Scott Walker fundraising controversy means for 2016
- Corn prices fade as supplies stay in surplus
- Cubs make history in an unfortunate way
- Pension battle headed for SCOTUS?
- Closed for Progress: downtown's steady revival
Pro Football: Week 9 NFL picks: Bears will beat Eagles in Philadelphia
By Doug Halberstadt
Sports Columnist
I survived the Bears' bye week. I really abhor Sundays during the football season with no Bears game. If last week wasn't miserable enough, this week I have to wait until Monday night before they are in action again. They will be in Philadelphia to try to beat the Eagles. This is the second Monday night game for Chicago this season. They lost to the Lions 24-13 Monday, Oct. 10. I'm predicting a different outcome this time. This time, the Bears will win. I'm taking them over the Eagles.
Following their bye week, the Packers will be looking to improve their record to 8-0 when they travel out West to meet up with the San Diego Chargers. Looking ahead at Green Bay's schedule, this may be the toughest game they have left. Within the division, they still have two against the Lions and one both with the Bears and the Vikings. Their other games are against the Chiefs, Buccaneers, Raiders and Giants. If they do, indeed, beat the Chargers, they could theoretically be looking at a 16-0 season. First, they have to get by the Chargers, and I think they'll win in San Diego. After that, we'll just have to wait to see what happens.
The Bills have a home game against the Jets. I like Buffalo at home. The Saints are also at home following their stunning upset at the hands of the Rams last weekend. I look for the Saints to come marching back with a vengeance and trounce the Buccaneers.
The Colts will be looking for their first win of the season against the Falcons. They won't find it. The Chiefs will be at home playing the other winless team in the league, the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins will keep pace with the Colts and drop to 0-8.
The Cowboys are at home hosting the Seahawks. I'm taking the 'boys from the big D in this one. The other team from the Lone Star State is also at home this week. The Houston Texans welcome the Browns to town. They should win and make it 2-0 for the teams from Texas.
The surprise team of the year so far to me is the San Francisco 49ers. They are 6-1, and have to travel to Washington this week. I think the 49ers will continue to roll and improve to 7-1.
I've always liked watching the Raiders and the Broncos do battle. Granted, these two teams aren't what they once were during the height of their rivalry, but it still tends to be an entertaining game. This week, the battleground is Oakland. That should be enough to tip the scales in favor of the Raiders.
The Titans face the Bengals in Nashville, Tenn. I like Tennessee to win. The Cardinals host the Rams. Both teams have 1-6 records. The Rams are coming off a huge upset victory over the Saints and may also be hitching a ride on the emotional wave of their baseball counterparts winning the World Series. I'm going with St. Louis to make it two in a row.
The Patriots are fresh off a loss to the Steelers. This week, they host the Giants. I don't think they'll lose on back-to-back weekends. I'm going with Tom Brady to lead his team back to the win column.
Speaking of the Steelers, they will be looking for their fifth straight win when the Ravens come calling this Sunday night. I'm taking Pittsburgh at home on national television.
Last week, I was 9-3 heading into the Monday night game. I took the Chargers over the Chiefs in that contest.
This Friday (Nov. 4) at 7:35 a.m. we will be back on the air at WNTA 1330 AM with our "Fearless NFL Picks." We missed last week because our host, Doug McDuff, was out of town and unavailable. Tune in to get caught up on all the action and find out who wins this week. I think I've got a chance!
Doug Halberstadt can be reached via e-mail at email@example.com.
From the Nov. 2-8, 2011, issue


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Amazing Bat Cave Replica Made From 20,000 Lego Bricks
Carlyle Livingston II and Wayne Hussey spent 800 hours constructing this super intricate and WHOA-worthy replica of Bruce Wayne's Batcave out of 20,000 Lego Bricks. The Batcave was unveiled at the Emerald City Comicon in 2012 and weighs more than 100 pounds. This replica model is not your average fun-of-the-mill Lego diorama. This beauty comes complete with lighting effects and all the necessary props and awesomeness that one would find in the Batcave (including the turntable for the Batmobile, a rotating costume/weapons selection wall and the Batplane's lift). Here's what the builders have to say about their masterpiece:
"This project marks the first collaborative build between Carlyle and Wayne, with several more queued for future development. The features of this build include the Cave itself with what we think is the most "cave-ish" cave ever constructed. Added to that we have an operating turntable for the Batmobile, a moving costume/weapons selection wall and the BatPlane Lift. Surrounding all of this is the remarkable lighting effects that bring our BatCave to life."
Awesome! We can't wait to see more.