Voter Safeguards
IndyVOTES Securely
The IndyVOTES process has been designed to be safe and secure.
1. Follow the voting process
Step 1: Check In To Vote
Technology used: Poll Pad – wireless connection
When you vote, you’ll first interact with the Poll Pad, or electronic pollbook. The Poll Pad is an iPad used by poll workers to verify your ID and locate your voter record. This is the ONLY piece of equipment in the Vote Center that is connected to the internet, on a secure private network.
The Poll Pad:
- Connects only to the voter registration database
- Is NOT connected (by wire or wireless signal) to the equipment that marks and tabulates the ballots
- Will print a barcode on a blank ballot card that will tell the ExpressVote which ballot style (i.e., candidate list) you should receive, based on your registration address
Step 2: Complete Your Ballot
Technology used: ExpressVote – no online access
Voters insert a blank ballot card into an ExpressVote, which reads the barcode printed on the ballot during check in. The ExpressVote will pull up the correct ballot that corresponds to your registration address and precinct. Mark your choices using the touchscreen. When finished, select “Print” and ExpressVote will print an easy-to-read, completed ballot for you to review for accuracy.
The ExpressVote:
- Is NOT connected to the internet
- Does not store ballot data from any voter
- Has been used since 2018 in Marion County, which first introduced the new technology to provide access to voters with disabilities before making it available to all voters
- Prints your selections on a paper ballot that’s easy to read and verify before it’s submitted and tabulated
Step 3: Submit Your Ballot
Technology used: DS200 – no online access
Finally, you will take your completed ballot and feed it into the DS200 machine. The counter on the screen will confirm your ballot has been received.
The DS200:
- Is NOT connected to the internet
- Records all ballots on an internal media device that cannot be remotely accessed
- Stores all paper ballots until poll workers physically tranfer them to the Election Service Center after the polls close for final tabulation, auditing, and archiving, per state law.
II. There is a paper trail
The ExpressVote machine prints your selections on a paper ballot that is inserted into the DS200. In addition to maintaining all paper ballots, the Marion County Election Board, under the supervision of the Voting System Technical Oversight Program (VSTOP), performs a process called a “risk-limiting audit” to verify the accuracy of the election results.
III. Check and double-check
When your ballot is printed by the ExpressVote, check your selections carefully. If you find a discrepancy (or even if you just change your mind) you can “spoil” your ballot by taking it to a poll worker. They will nullify that ballot and assist you in getting a new one.
Ask a poll worker
If you are confused about any step of the voting process, don’t hesitate to talk to a poll worker. They’ve been trained on all the equipment and can address any concerns.