WO2006112748A1

WO2006112748A1 - Method for carrying out secret votes by using a computer-assisted bulletin processing device

Info

Publication number: WO2006112748A1
Application number: PCT/RU2005/000351
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alexandr Albertovich Veshnyakov; Viktor Vasilievich Yaschenko; Boris Leonidovich Bobrovnikov; Andrey Vadimovich Shain
Original assignee: Federalny Tsentr Informatizatsii Pri Tsentralnoi Izbiratelnoy Komissi Rossiyskoy Federatsii
Priority date: 2005-04-19
Filing date: 2005-06-24
Publication date: 2006-10-26
Also published as: RU2315358C2; RU2005111294A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for carrying out secret votes consisting in registering a voting person, in providing said voter with a voting bulletin, in ensuring conditions for secretly filling a marking element displaying the choice thereof in the bulletin and for independently introducing said bulletin into a computer-assisted bulletin processing device, wherein the bulletin is automatically identified, in classifying the bulletin according to established criteria either as invalid, wherein said bulletin is marked and placed in a collector, or as a valid, wherein the bulletin is provided with a control mark applied thereto, in identifying the voting place and the processing device in which said bulletin is processed, in checking the conformity of marking elements with specified reference image, in marking non-conforming bulletins as invalid and in placing them in the collector, in sorting the valid bulletins according to a choice variant, in forming, according to an established format, intermediate and final statements and in transmitting said final statement to the voting campaign official authorities in a short-term session mode. The bulletin processing is carried out inside the body of the computer-assisted device which is closed for a non-authorised access with the aid of a set of software-hardware and computer-assisted means and the processing results are stored.

Description

Secret ballot method using an automated ballot processing device

The invention relates to methods for ensuring the formation and processing of information in a limited access mode, and more particularly, to methods of voting by subjects of will.

Secret ballot is an indispensable attribute of a democratic election system, an absolute privilege of voters. The voter shows his will without any control over him, pressure or intimidation, as well as maintaining his guaranteed right to never inform anyone about his choice of this or that candidate. Ballots shall not be numbered; the identification of the ballot used shall not allow the possibility of establishing the identity of the voter.

When conducting secret ballot by means of ballots, in order to guarantee the secrecy of the will of the voter, specially equipped booths are created at polling stations to fill out ballots in which the presence of other persons is not allowed. At the same time, the problems of monitoring the voting process and ensuring the impossibility of manipulating ballots by rival teams and the election commission become important.

The organization of such control can be greatly facilitated if information subsystems are created at the polling stations, which make it possible to conduct a public record of the number of voters by registering the fact of lowering the ballot in the ballot box and excluding the possibility of manipulation of adding or replacing the ballots of citizens already voted by the election commissions.

In accordance with the Council of Europe Recommendations, when using information support and voting technologies, voters should be given the opportunity to vote not only at the polling station of their constituency, but also in another place, and the voter himself must vote. In addition, maximum participation in the elections and referenda should be ensured for all citizens who have the right to vote, access to the electoral process for disabled voters and those who cannot be physically present at the polling station and use funds available there, as well as additional funds for voting were provided. At the same time, the efficiency and reliability of the transmission of voting results should be improved, and information on the preparation and conduct of voting, information on options provided to the voter for making a choice, including candidates, should be available to the general public.

At the same time, it is necessary to prevent more than one vote from being cast by one voter in relation to one option of the choice provided and only by one voting channel, and also to use safe and reliable methods of summing up all votes and establishing the correct result.

In addition, the voting must be secret and organized in such a way that at any stage of the voting procedure, in particular, at the stage of identifying the voter, exclude everything that could violate the secrecy of the will of the voter, as well as exclude the possibility of establishing any or the relationship between the vote and the specific voter. Moreover, it is necessary that the expected number of votes cast in the device for receiving ballots from voters does not make it possible to associate the result with a specific voter. In a controlled environment, information about the cast vote should be hidden immediately as soon as the vote is cast.

In addition, the system should ensure the availability and integrity of the votes cast, as well as their confidentiality, before the vote count begins. At the same time, data on the number of votes cast for a particular voting option should not be brought to the attention of the public before the close of voting.

The voting ballot must be authentic in all polling stations, and the fact that the vote has been cast must be documented.

A known method and system of voting among many voters, including providing the voter with a primary ballot having a voting part and a unique identifying part, familiarizing the voter with the answers in the voting part, creating a secondary ballot by making a copy of the first ballot, returning the first ballot to the voter, reflection all secondary ballots recorded during the voting, permission for each voter to view or adjust the exact correspondence of the displayed ballot to the primary ballot, approval by the voter of the corrected record of the secondary ballot, tabulation of confirmed votes, publication of table entries, permission of the opposition to view or correct the table entries in accordance with the choice approved by the voter , logging the results of viewing or correction of table entries (US, 6 726 090, Bl). Moreover, the ballot may be marked with at least one identification symbol for the characteristics of the primary ballot, the secondary ballot is marked similarly to another symbol, and both are marked with the same corresponding symbols, and the voter will also be contacted by the official representative of the election campaign with claims if the secondary ones are not identical and primary newsletters.

However, the described method and system involves the voter contacting not only the primary and secondary ballots for checking them, but also communicating with persons voting to verify the lists that were actually published with the results of the voter’s voting with the involvement of third parties, which may lead to pressure on the voter.

A known method and voting system for self-checking a ballot in which voting is carried out using a computer voting station adapted to provide a ballot, receiving a choice from a voter in accordance with the ballot, temporarily storing a choice, printing a voter's choice from a temporary storage, comparing a printed vote a choice with a temporarily saved choice, the decision of the voter about the correctness of the choice, the preservation of the final choice and the direction of the ballot Aeneas with the choice to account for (US, 6769613, B2). However, at the same time, the voter must have the skills to work with a personal computer and must first be familiarized with instructional materials on working with the computer voting station.

There is a method of secret voting by ballots, based on filling out the ballot and lowering the filled ballot in the ballot box, in which the ballot has two identical parts, when voting is taken out of the closed box for stamps an envelope with stamps with a sticky back side, on which individual identification numbers are made , anonymously fix the indicated stamps on each of the indicated parts of the ballot, fill out both parts of the ballot, divide it into two parts along the line of break and drop one part into the ballot box, the second part is intended to be kept in order to ensure control over the correctness of the vote of the voter (RU , 2153192, Cl). However, the procedure for sticking stamps during the flow of voters to the place of filling out the ballot and the ballot box can create a crowd and queues, and envelopes with stamps may contain invalid identification numbers, which will invalidate the vote.

Known automated voting system containing a ballot drive, consisting of several sections, a video information processing device, consisting of a video input / output device, random access memory, information storage device, processing unit, comparison device, video monitoring device, and a ballot reader consisting of a locking device, four photosensors, a transporting mechanism, a lens, a video camera, an adjustment device roystva, light source, video switching devices, the control board, the delay device, the deflecting device, an information display board, the power supply are connected in a certain way (RU, 2206124, C2).

A known method and device for the automated processing of ballots, including entering ballots into the path and moving them along the path, followed by scanning their images, image recognition and vote counting, while scanning is performed on the entire side of the ballot sheet simultaneously from two sides with synchronized movement of the sheet, Recognition identifies voter marks and classifies ballots as valid or invalid while marking invalid ballots therein, and wherein the scan transfer image is also performed synchronously (RU, 2172981, C2). At the same time, a ballot scanner was proposed, which ensures the movement of the ballot along the path, the reading of ballots, and the sorting of ballots into valid and invalid. However, at the same time, the ballot papers are marked on the basis of their election campaign and voting at the location of such a device, as well as the formation of a protocol on the voting results is carried out by the election commission. The aim of the present invention is to develop a secret ballot method and a device for its implementation, which allows to ensure that the process of choosing the object of expression of will and the marking element in the voting ballot is kept secret by the subject, automatically processing the ballot paper filled out and keeping the voting results secret. voting.

In developing the present invention, the task was to develop a secret ballot using automated processing of the ballot at the polling station with the introduction of identifying marks in it under conditions of limited access, access control to the receiving device, processing and storage of completed ballots, as well as the formation of intermediate and final reporting data on the voting process and on the voting results without disclosing them at the polling stations during the voting period.

The problem was solved by creating a secret ballot method, including:

- identification of prospective voting participants as subjects of expression of will for the voting and their registration;

- providing the subject of will, having the right to vote in the ballot, a ballot for the specified ballot, made on an acceptable medium and containing configured data on the ballot field, including at least the data identifying the ballot as a ballot for voting, data characterizing, at least two variants of the choice of objects of expression of will, and containing at least one localized free selection field in visual correspondence with each one of the options for the selection of objects of expression of will and adapted for making a choice by introducing by the subject of the will of the marking element into one of the selection fields, and having at least one free area on the ballot field located in a specific area of the ballot field;

- providing each subject of will expression the opportunity to make his choice of the object of voting by introducing a marking element in the selection field of the ballot in the place of voting in a limited space, which is closed for access and review by other persons during the voting of the subject of expression of will; - providing the volitional subject with the opportunity to submit the ballot himself, containing the marking element made by him, to the ballot processing device located at the place of voting, in the inner cavity of which is protected from unauthorized access during the voting period, contains a set of software and hardware and automated tools adapted to provide in automatic mode:

- receiving from the official body preliminary in the regime of a closed short-term communication session prior to the start of the voting process information containing data allowing identification of the ballot as a ballot for voting, storing the specified information;

- receiving from the official body preliminary in a closed short-term communication session prior to the start of the voting process information that allows, after applying it to the ballot, to identify the ballot received and processed at the indicated voting place in the indicated automated ballot processing device, and save the specified information;

- the formation of the image of the control mark containing the specified data and adapted for applying to the ballot received in the specified automated device for processing ballots;

- receiving information from the official body containing the parameters and criteria for invalidating the ballot;

- receiving from the official body, previously in a closed short-term communication session prior to the start of the voting process, information containing a programmable procedure for generating in the established format automatically accumulated cumulatively during the voting period in the specified device data on the number of ballots received in the specified automated device on the number of ballots , recognized as valid, on the number of ballots containing a marking element in the selection field in relation to azhdogo one embodiment of the will of the objects;

- receiving the ballot in the internal cavity of the specified device; - verification of the presence on the ballot box of data corresponding to the data identifying the specified ballot as a ballot for voting;

- accounting for the receipt of the identified identified ballot in the specified automated device;

- display for the subject of voting the fact of receipt of the ballot in the specified automated device;

- accounting of the number of received ballots on an accrual basis;

- registration of the specified ballot in the specified device by applying on the indicated free area of the ballot the image of the specified control mark;

- checking the presence of the image of the marking element on the selection field; checking the conformity of the image of the marking element with the requirements of regulatory legal acts regarding the criteria for recognizing a ballot as valid;

- marking on each of the ballots recognized as invalid, a mark allowing identification of the invalid ballot among the received ballots;

- separation of incoming ballots into valid or invalid ballots by the presence of the specified label; accounting on an accrual basis of the number of valid and invalid ballots received in the specified automated device;

- accounting of cumulative number of ballots containing the image of the marking element in the field of choice of objects of expression of will;

- sorting of valid ballots received in accordance with the selection option;

- save incoming ballots in the internal cavity of the specified device until the end of the voting period;

- formation in the established format of interim reporting data on the voting;

- transfer of intermediate final data on the number of ballots received in the specified automated device to the official authority election campaign in a closed session using acceptable means of communication in accordance with the regulations for the provision of intermediate data on the course of voting established by regulatory documents,

- formation of final reporting data in the established format; - transmitting, in a closed communication session mode, the above reporting summary data in the established format to the official body of the election campaign; and while the specified device for processing ballots is adapted to operate during the voting period in an autonomous mode, providing the subject with the will of the visualized information on the functional state of the specified automated device by indicating the standby time of receipt of the ballot, the processing mode of the received ballot in the specified device and the emergency stop mode of the specified device.

Moreover, according to the invention, it is advisable that the information about the image standard of the voting ballot, including the placement parameters of the specified configured data and the specified free area for applying a check mark, be entered into the specified ballot processing device.

In addition, according to the invention, it is advisable that previously in the specified device processing bulletins was entered information about the standards of the image of marking elements and placing them on the ballot box.

Moreover, according to the invention, this information about the specified image standards can be entered into the specified device for processing ballots once in a closed session before the voting period.

Moreover, according to the invention, it is reasonable that said information is entered and received in encrypted form into said ballot processing device.

In addition, according to the invention, the control mark may contain many graphic elements.

Moreover, according to the invention, the control mark may contain a bar code.

In addition, according to the invention, after the end of the voting period at the request of the subject of will or an independent observer, it can be possible to control the correspondence of the number of ballots in the device and the final reporting data. Moreover, according to the invention, it is reasonable that said ballot processing device be adapted to ensure that the device reveals the opening of the internal cavity of the device, at least during the voting period.

In addition, according to the invention, at the polling place can be placed many of these ballot processing devices, each of which is adapted to perform the above operations of the secret ballot method and is adapted to operate offline.

Moreover, according to the invention, said ballot processing device can be adapted to operate in a non-volatile mode.

In addition, according to the invention, it is advisable that the ballot processing device be adapted to ensure that the information contained in the device and the received ballots are saved in the event of an emergency stop.

Moreover, according to the invention, it is desirable that for a secret absentee vote the specified device for processing ballots was transported to the location of the subject of will.

In addition, according to the invention, a secret ballot can be held simultaneously for several election campaigns of various levels, while the subject of the will simultaneously provide several different ballots and use a device for processing ballots, adapted to simultaneously receive and process many different incoming ballots.

The problem was also solved by the development of an automated device for processing ballots during secret voting by the method according to the invention, comprising a housing with an internal cavity closed for unauthorized access and viewing during the voting period, which contains a set of software, hardware and automated tools adapted to provide automatic mode:

- receiving from the official body preliminary in the regime of a closed short-term communication session before the start of the voting process information that allows identifying the ballot after putting it on the ballot, receiving and processing of which was carried out at the indicated place of voting in the indicated automated device for processing ballots, and storing the specified information;

- forming an image of a control mark containing the indicated data and adapted for drawing on the ballot upon its receipt in the indicated automated ballot processing device;

- receiving from the official body, previously in a closed short-term communication session prior to the start of the voting process, information containing a programmable procedure for generating and presenting in the established format automatically accumulated cumulatively during the voting period in the specified device data on the number of ballots received in the specified automated device, about the number of ballots recognized as valid, the number of votes cast in relation to each of the objects expressions;

- receiving the ballot in the specified device;

- checking the availability on the ballot box of data identifying the specified ballot as a ballot for the voting;

- accounting of the number of received ballots on an accrual basis;

- marking on each of the ballots recognized as invalid, a mark allowing identification of the invalid ballot among the received ballots; - sorting of incoming ballots into valid or invalid ballots by the presence of the specified label; accounting on an accrual basis of the number of valid and invalid ballots received in the specified automated device;

- accounting of the cumulative number of ballots containing the image of the marking element in the selection field of each one of the objects of expression of will;

- sorting the received ballots in accordance with the selection option;

- formation in the established format of intermediate reporting data on the voting;

- transmitting the intermediate final data on the number of ballots received in the specified automated device to the official body of the election campaign in a closed session using acceptable means of communication in accordance with the regulations for the provision of intermediate data on the voting process established by regulatory documents,

- formation of final reporting data in the established format;

- transmitting, in a closed communication session mode, the above reporting summary data in the established format to the official body of the election campaign; and while the specified device for processing ballots is adapted to operate during the voting period in an autonomous mode, providing the subject with the will of the visualized information on the functional state of the specified automated device by indicating the standby time of receipt of the ballot, the processing mode of the received ballot in the specified device and the emergency stop mode of the specified device.

In addition, according to the invention, the device can be adapted to pre-enter information about the image standard of the voting ballot, including the settings for placing the specified data on the ballot field. In addition, according to the invention, it is advisable that previously in the specified device processing bulletins was entered information about the standards of the image of marking elements and placing them on the ballot box.

Moreover, according to the invention, it is reasonable that the device is adapted to enter information about the specified image standards in the specified device for processing ballots once in session mode before the start of the voting period.

Moreover, according to the invention, it is advisable that said device be adapted to enter said information into said device for processing ballots in an encrypted form.

Moreover, according to the invention, it is reasonable for the device to be adapted for reading and recognizing a reference mark containing a plurality of graphic elements.

Moreover, according to the invention, the device can be adapted to read and recognize a reference mark containing a barcode.

In addition, according to the invention, it is advisable that the device was adapted to enable verification of the number of ballots in the device according to the generated final reporting data after the end of the voting period at the request of the subject of will or an independent observer.

Moreover, according to the invention, it is advisable that the ballot processing device be adapted to provide a fixation and sound indication of the opening of the device’s case, at least during the voting period.

In addition, according to the invention, it is reasonable that said ballot processing device be adapted to operate in a non-volatile mode.

Moreover, according to the invention, it is advisable that said ballot processing device be adapted to ensure that the information contained in the device and received ballots are saved in the event of an emergency stop of said device.

Moreover, according to the invention, said ballot processing device can be adapted for transportation on acceptable vehicles. Furthermore, according to the invention, the ballot processing device can be adapted to simultaneously receive and process a plurality of incoming ballots. Moreover, it can be adapted for the simultaneous reception and processing of ballots during election campaigns of various levels.

In addition, according to the invention, the device can be adapted to indicate an emergency stop using an audible signal.

The invention is further illustrated by an example implementation of a secret ballot method according to the invention and a drawing, which shows a scheme of a secret ballot method according to the invention using an automated ballot processing device according to the invention.

According to the invention, an automated ballot processing device is used in the secret ballot method, adapted to carry out the operations of the method using a set of software and automated tools adapted for connection to an external power source and to a communication network.

In addition, the specified automated device must contain an autonomous power source and connectors for possible connection to an external power source and to the communication network.

At the same time, the composition of the complex of software and hardware may be different, but should ensure at least the implementation of actions for receiving, storing, storing, storing information in digital form, comparing images, transmitting digital information using known acceptable means of communication or communication networks, as well as the formation of information blocks in the established format.

At the same time, it should be clear to specialists working in the field of information and computer technologies that the software and hardware complex used in the automated device according to the invention must be compatible with other software and technical tools used in the voting process, for example, the software and hardware complex means of the election commission, generating data to be received in the device according to the invention and receiving reporting statistics data in automatic mode from automated devices according to the invention.

For example, a set of software and hardware tools may contain a computer system that is controlled by software that is compatible with other necessary automated devices that are also installed in the specified automated ballot processing device to perform functional tasks of the device. For example, with a scanner, printer, modem, newsletter input device, newsletter sorting device, newsletter storage devices, information display device, and other devices.

The input of the ballot paper into the automated ballot processing device according to the invention can be carried out in any known manner. For example, placing a ballot paper in a tray and then capturing the scanner with a receiving device. Or, for example, by organizing the movement of the ballot along the path of the ballot broaching device by placing the ballot gradually fed manually into the gap between the rotating pinch rollers and then moving it along the path when the rollers rotate.

Scanning the image of the ballot can be carried out using known scanning devices, for example, from two sides, to ensure guaranteed receipt of the image of the ballot at any filing of the ballot in the processing device.

Registration of the receipt of the ballot in the device can be carried out in any known manner. For example, upon the establishment of the correspondence of the image of the ballot filed to the automated device to the image standard established by regulatory enactments in terms of the content and configuration of information on the ballot field, for example, text information placed in a specific field of the ballot in a certain way.

The display of information for the subject of will may be carried out by any known means. For example, by displaying the necessary information on a display screen located outside on the panel of an automated device.

Drawing a reference mark can also be performed in various ways. For example, by printing a checkmark image when placing the ballot in the printer. Moreover, the automated device according to the invention has a detachable case, for example, comprising a lower part of the case and a cover, in which devices for detachably fastening them to each other, comprising signal devices for fixing the opening of the cover, are made. The case is protected from unauthorized entry into its internal cavity, for example, by installing sealing means on the outside of the lid and on the bottom of the case, with the possibility of performing a control seal by an authorized person of the official body of the election campaign.

All the above-mentioned functional devices are located in the internal cavity of the housing, and the input of the ballot-receiving device, for example, in the form of a slot deepened in the housing, is displayed on the external panel of the housing, for example, for the user to display information or an indication, for example, about the fact of registration of the receipt of the ballot submitted by him in the automated device, on the functional state of the specified automated device, in particular, the waiting mode for the receipt of the newsletter, dir the processing of the incoming ballot in the specified device and the emergency stop mode of the specified device, as well as the status indicators of software and hardware devices of the automated device in the case of using an autonomous non-volatile power supply, for example, green indicator - “on”, red indicator- “ off. " In addition, an external power connector, a power button for a stand-alone non-volatile power source and a network connector, for example, a USB port, as well as a device for placing a test information medium, for example, CD, are made on the outside.

Means can be made on the device’s case for the convenience of carrying and transporting an automated device, for example, handles or recesses.

Specialists in the field of engineering should be clear that, depending on the purpose, the automated devices can have different dimensions. Thus, automated devices for absentee voting, adapted to handle a limited number of ballots, may have smaller dimensions than devices installed in polling stations. Depending on the layout of the processing devices in the internal cavity, the organization of the movement of the ballot, for example, for scanning certain areas of the ballot field or applying a check mark or sorting into several drives, there may be different requirements for the form of the ballot and its physical medium.

According to the invention, the method of conducting a secret ballot uses ballots containing configured data on the ballot field, including at least data identifying the ballot as a ballot for voting, for example, textual information of a certain content placed in a certain way on the ballot field, also provided by the official body in the form of a standard containing this data in the form of digital information, or in the form of an image.

For processing in an automated device having a compact arrangement of devices inside its body, it is preferable to run the ballot on a carrier that allows its elastic deformation in the longitudinal and transverse directions when moving along a curved path in a limited amount of space, for example, on paper.

For processing in an automated device adapted for processing several ballots, for example, when conducting simultaneous secret ballot on several ongoing election campaigns, which has, for example, several marking devices, several sorting devices, several drives, other media may be used. In this case, digital information of the image of the ballot can be obtained by scanning a stationary ballot and its processing can be carried out in one computer, with the formation of intermediate and final reporting data in the established format in accordance with the procedure for its formation for each of the ongoing election campaigns.

The secret ballot method according to the invention is as follows.

Before voting begins, before installing the seals, the state of the automated ballot processing device according to the invention is tested in any known manner, for example, by entering into the device arbitrarily specified information about the ballot image standard and criteria for invalidating the ballot, for example, on CD, and entering it into the device a bulletin having deliberately erroneous data in the image. After testing the correct reading, processing, marking and sorting of the ballot, the test bulletin is removed from the drive, the bulletin processing information is erased from the device’s memory, and the body of the automated ballot processing device is sealed.

Before voting begins, the automated ballot processing device according to the invention is connected to a communication network and, in a closed short-term communication session with the official body of the election campaign, receives from it information containing data that makes it possible to identify the received ballot as a voting ballot. For example, digital information about the configuration and content of the text part of the newsletter and / or its image standard.

They also receive data that allows, after applying them to the ballot, to identify the ballot that was received and processed at the indicated voting place in the indicated ballot processing device, for example, the number of the polling station, the voting date and the number of the automated ballot processing device. Save the specified information in the storage device of the computer.

In addition, they simultaneously receive information from the official body containing the parameters and criteria for invalidating the ballot. Store information in a storage device.

They also preliminarily receive, in the closed short-term communication session prior to the voting process, information from the official body containing information on a programmable procedure for generating automatically accumulated progressive data during the voting period in the specified device, including data on the number of ballots received to the specified automated device, the number of ballots recognized as valid, the number of ballots, soda neighing marking element in the selection field in relation to objects of expression of will. Store information in a storage device.

Upon receipt, according to the invention, of the specified information in encrypted form, the information is decrypted using the software available on the device. Digitally form the image of the control mark containing the above data and adapted for applying to the ballot received in the specified automated processing device of the ballots. For example, a check mark according to the invention may contain graphic symbols, for example, a barcode, for example, containing several graphic elements.

Ballot papers are prepared to provide the subjects of their will and lists of possible voters at the polling station. Thus, the polling station is prepared for work.

Register the voting participants in any known manner, for example, checking the voter data contained in the lists of possible voting participants or absentee ballots of other voting stations, determining their compliance with the identification data provided by the voting participant. For example, by last name, first name, patronymic, date and place of birth, place of residence. In accordance with regulatory legal standards, they establish the competence of the voting participant to vote in the election campaigns conducted at this polling station at that time, that is, register the subject of will expression. Provide the subject of will expression a voting ballot, made in the form described above.

Provide the subject of will expression a place that is closed for viewing by others, for inclusion in the ballot of a marking element in the selection field of the voting object. For example, a cabin closed on all sides by movable curtains. In this case, the booth may also comprise an automated ballot processing device according to the invention. Or, an automated ballot processing device may be installed in a place accessible to independent observers.

They provide the subject of will expression the opportunity to submit the ballot filled by him to the automated ballot processing device according to the invention by placing it in the slot of the ballot receiving device. In this case, the external indicator of the functional state of the device switches from the “Waiting for receipt of a ballot” mode to the “Processing of a received ballot” mode.

In case of indication of the external indicator in the “emergency stop) mode)) the voting process is interrupted, the reasons that caused such an indication are eliminated, for example, in conditions of authorized access to the internal cavity of an automated device, and then they re-vote, preliminarily fixing this fact in the reporting documents of the election commission.

Further processing operations of the ballot are carried out inside the device.

Scan the bulletin in automatic mode. The resulting image is compared with the image standard contained in the storage device. If the images match, the receipt of the ballot is recorded, for example, by preserving the facts of such a match. And then, by summing up the number of such compliance facts, they provide the images, and by accumulating them on an accrual basis, they keep records of incoming ballots.

Information about the registration of the ballot is displayed on the screen by means of display on the outer panel of the body of the automated device. At the same time, the subject of will expression on the screen can make sure that the ballot submitted by him is received in the device for processing.

In case of discrepancy between the indicated images of the received and reference ballots, the ballot is removed from the processing path, marked as invalid and sent to the drive for storage.

Bulletins in which the image is recognized as conforming to the standard are marked with a check mark in the free section of the ballot and further processed.

In the automated device, the obtained scanned image of the ballot is analyzed to verify the presence of the image of the marking element in the selection field, the correspondence of the image of the marking element with the standards of marking marks contained in the storage device is checked. In case of inconsistency of the marking element to any of the specified standards, the ballot shall be sent for marking with a mark on its invalidity. Invalid ballots are sent to the drive. The number of invalid ballots is kept cumulatively in the storage device.

The total number of ballots received in the automated device can be displayed on the display screen as information about the voting process open to the user. The received valid ballots are sorted in accordance with the selection option by the presence of a marking element in the selection field. Take into account the number of ballots having marking elements in the same fields of choice. Send newsletters to the store for storage. In this case, sorting can be carried out according to the object of expression of will.

At the same time, the stored number of invalid ballots, as well as groups of ballots sorted by the presence of marking elements in the selection field of a particular object of expression of will, may subsequently be submitted to independent observers for the purpose of vote counting after the end of voting.

In the automatic mode, as the ballots are processed, intermediate total data is generated on the number of ballots received in the specified automated device, which are transmitted to the official election campaign body in the short-term closed session in accordance with the regulations established by regulatory documents for short-term connection of the automated device to the communication network with using automatic modem connection.

After the end of the voting period, automatically generate, in the established format, the reporting summary data on the number of received ballots, the number of invalid and valid ballots, the number of ballots for the selected voting objects in the vote. Transfer the specified reporting summary data in the established format in the mode of a short-term closed communication session to the official body of the election campaign.

All generated information of the interim and final reporting is automatically saved also in the form of a copy on an acceptable medium available in the automated device.

Then, at the polling station, authorized officials in the presence of independent observers remove the seals, open the lid of the automated device, turn off the signal device, take out the indicated copy, which is then packed and sealed in a form that is closed for access to it, and the ballots stored in the drives.

In the process of voting, attempts to penetrate into the internal cavity of an automated device will be suppressed by attracting attention surrounding a sound alarm, attempts to receive falsified ballots will result in the ballots being classified as invalid, and the number of ballots received by the specified automated device will be statistically the sum of the reference numbers of invalid and valid ballots stored in the final reporting data. In this case, the fact of opening the internal cavity is recorded in the storage device of the automated device for processing ballots.

According to the invention, a secret ballot method can likewise be conducted by absentee ballot. Also, at the polling station, several automated ballot processing devices may be provided, the equipment of which can be adapted to process both the ballots of one election campaign and several election campaigns.

According to the invention, automated devices can be adapted to operate in an autonomous mode and have autonomous power sources, and are also adapted for transportation to sealed areas.

According to the invention, an automated ballot processing device can be adapted to ensure that information stored in the device is stored in the event of an emergency stop.

Thus, the developed secret ballot method and the automated device for processing secret ballot bulletins make it possible to conduct voting in conditions of inaccessibility of the processed information, fixing attempts of unauthorized access to the operating system of the automated device, as well as a simple expression for the user, regardless of age.

In addition, the secret ballot method can be carried out both in a stationary polling station and in absentia voting with voting in hard-to-reach regions for people whose physical inability does not allow them to vote in other ways.

Professionals working in the field of automation and computer processing of information should be clear that improvements can be made to the secret ballot method according to the invention and the automated ballot processing device according to the invention. Improvements that do not go beyond patent claims. For example, using well-known software and hardware and automation tools adapted to work in automatic mode while processing several newsletters in a single device in parallel with different information configurations, various control marks, and various image standards.

In addition, the automated ballot processing devices according to the invention can be made compatible with the automated ballot recording and counting system used in the voting process and serve as a source of such information for the election campaign as a whole in accordance with the established rules for transmitting accumulated data.

An automated secret ballot processing device according to the invention can be implemented using well-known high-tech information processing methods using known techniques.

Claims

The claims 1. A method of conducting a secret ballot, including:

- identification of prospective voting participants as subjects of expression of will for the voting;

- registration of subjects of will for the vote;

- providing the subject of will, having the right to vote in the voting, a ballot for the specified vote, made on a carrier that allows its elastic deformation in the longitudinal and transverse directions, and containing configured data on the ballot field, including at least the data identifying the specified ballot as a ballot for voting, data characterizing at least two choices of objects of expression of will, and containing at least one lock lizizovannoy free selection field in visual accordance with each of the options for the selection of objects of will and adapted to make a choice by introducing the will of the subject of the will of the marking element in one of the selection fields, and having on the ballot field at least one free area located in a certain area of the field newsletter;

- providing each subject with a will to make their choice of the voting object by introducing a marking element in the ballot box in the voting place in a limited space, closed for access and viewing to other persons;

- providing the volitional subject with the opportunity to submit a ballot containing the marking element made by himself to the ballot receiving and processing device located at the polling place, the inner cavity of which is protected from unauthorized access during the voting period and contains a set of software, hardware and automated tools adapted to provide in automatic mode;

- receiving from the official body, previously in a closed short-term communication session prior to the start of voting, information containing data that would allow the ballot to be identified as a ballot for voting, storing the specified information; - receiving from the official body, previously in a closed short-term communication session prior to the start of voting, information containing data that, after putting it on the ballot, identifies the bulletin, the reception and processing of which was carried out at the indicated voting place in the indicated ballot processing device, storing the specified information;

- receiving from the official body, previously in a closed short-term communication session prior to the start of the voting process, information containing a programmable procedure for generating, in the established format, automatically accumulated cumulative total during the voting period in the specified device data on the voting process, including data on the number of ballots received in the specified an automated device, on the number of ballots recognized as valid, on the number of ballots containing marking an element in the selection field regarding the objects of expression of will;

- receiving the ballot in the specified device;

- verification of the presence on the ballot box of data corresponding to the data identifying the specified ballot as a ballot for voting;

- accounting of the number of received ballots on an accrual basis;

- checking the presence of the image of the marking element on the selection field, checking the conformity of the image of the marking element with the requirements of regulatory legal acts regarding the criteria for recognizing a ballot as valid;

- marking on each of the ballots recognized as invalid, a tag allowing identification of the invalid ballot among the received ballots;

- division of incoming ballots into valid or invalid ballots by the presence of the specified label;

- accounting of cumulative number of invalid ballots received in the specified automated device;

- accounting of cumulative number of valid ballots containing the image of the marking element in the field of choice of objects of expression of will;

- sorting of valid ballots received in accordance with the selection option;

- saving received ballots in the internal cavity of the specified device until the end of the voting period;

- formation of intermediate data on the number of ballots received in the specified automated device;

- transfer of the final interim data on the voting process to an official in a closed session mode in accordance with the regulations established by regulatory documents;

- formation in the established format of the reporting summary data on the number of received ballots, the number of invalid ballots, the number of ballots for the selected voting objects in the vote;

- transfer of the specified reporting summary data in the established format in the mode of a closed communication session to the official body; and while the specified device for processing ballots is adapted to operate during the voting period in an autonomous mode and provide the subject with the will of the visualized information about the functional state of the specified automated device by indicating the standby time of receipt of the ballot, the processing mode of the received ballot in the specified device and the emergency stop mode of the specified device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that information about the image standard of the voting ballot is preliminarily entered into said ballot processing device, including parameters for placing said configured data and said free area on the ballot box for applying a control mark.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that information about the image standards of the marking elements and their placement on the ballot selection field is preliminarily introduced into said ballot processing device.

4. The method according to any one of paragraphs.2 or 3, characterized in that information about the specified image standards is entered into the specified device for processing ballots once in a closed session before the start of the voting period.

5. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that the information in the specified device for processing ballots is entered and received in encrypted form.

6. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that the control mark contains many graphic elements.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the control mark contains a bar code.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that after the end of the voting period at the request of the subject of will or an independent observer, it is possible to control the conformity of the number of ballots in the device and the final reporting data.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said ballot processing device is adapted to ensure that the device reveals the opening of the device’s internal cavity, at least during the voting period.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of said ballot processing devices are placed at the polling place, each of which is adapted to operate offline.

11. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that the specified device for processing ballots is adapted to operate in non-volatile mode.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the ballot processing device is adapted to ensure that the information contained in the device and received ballots are saved in the event of an emergency stop.

13. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that the absentee ballot and the specified device for processing ballots are transported to the location of the subject of will.

14. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the secret ballot is carried out simultaneously for several election campaigns of various levels, while the subject of the will simultaneously provide several different ballots and use the device for processing ballots, adapted to simultaneously receive and process many different incoming ballots.

15. An automated device for processing ballots during a secret ballot, containing:

- a building with an internal cavity closed for unauthorized access during the voting period, in which a complex of software and hardware and automated tools are located, adapted to provide in automatic mode:

- receiving from the official body, previously in a closed short-term communication session prior to the start of the voting process, information containing a programmable procedure for generating and presenting in the established format automatically accumulated cumulatively during the voting period in the specified device data on the number of ballots received in the specified automated device, about the number of ballots recognized as valid, the number of votes cast in relation to each of the objects of expression of will,

- receiving the ballot in the specified device;

- verification of the presence on the ballot box of data identifying the specified ballot as a ballot for voting;

- accounting for the receipt of the identified identified ballots in the specified automated device;

- accounting of the number of received ballots on an accrual basis;

- checking the presence of the image of the marking element on the selection field;

- verification of the conformity of the image of the marking element with the requirements of regulatory legal acts regarding the criteria for recognizing a ballot as valid;

- sorting of incoming ballots into valid or invalid ballots by the presence on them of the specified label; accounting on an accrual basis of the number of valid and invalid ballots received in the specified automated device;

- cumulative accounting of the number of ballots containing the image of the marking element in the selection field of each of one of the objects of expression of will;

- sorting the received ballots in accordance with the selection option;

-formation of interim reporting data on the number of received ballots; - transfer of intermediate final data on the voting process, on the number of ballots received in the specified automated device to an official in a closed session mode in accordance with the provision rules established by regulatory documents;

- formation in the established format of the reporting summary data on the voting;

- transfer in the mode of a closed communication session of the above reporting summary data in the established format to the official body; and while the specified device for processing ballots is adapted to operate during the voting period in an autonomous mode, providing the subject with the will of the visualized information on the functional state of the specified automated device by indicating the standby time of receipt of the ballot, the processing mode of the received ballot in the specified device and the emergency stop mode of the specified device.

16. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted for preliminary input of information about the image standard of the voting ballot, including the settings for placing the specified data on the ballot field.

17. The device according to clause 15, characterized in that it is adapted for preliminary input of information about image standards and placement of marking elements on the ballot box.

18. The device according to any one of paragraphs. 16 or 17, characterized in that it is adapted to enter information about the specified image standards once in the session mode before the start of the voting period.

19. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted to enter the specified information and receive it in encrypted form.

20. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted for reading and recognition of a reference mark containing many graphic elements.

21. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted for reading and recognition of a reference mark containing a bar code.

22. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted to ensure that in the device’s memory the fact of opening the device’s internal cavity, at least during the voting period, is recorded.

23. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted for functioning in non-volatile mode.

24. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted to ensure that the information available in the device is stored in the event of an emergency stop.

25. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted for transportation on acceptable vehicles.

26. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted for the simultaneous reception and processing of multiple ballots of one election campaign.

27. The device according to p. 15, characterized in that it is adapted for the simultaneous reception and processing of ballots for voting election campaigns of various levels.

28. The device according to clause 15, characterized in that it is adapted to indicate an emergency stop using an audio signal.