D.C. announces public test of Internet voting (AKA "digital vote by mail")

[Neal McBurnett <neal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The new trial overseas Internet voting system in D.C. is getting
underway (late), and is starting with a request for testing and review
of the source code from OSDV.

To see this announcement in PDF form, see
 http://www.dcboee.org/popup.asp?url=/pdf_files/nr_588.pdf

Early versions of the code are at http://github.com/trustthevote

Folks are concerned that the test period is so short, and the final
code isn't available yet, and the rules aren't clear enough, but this
is still a big step up from many other systems.

Neal McBurnett                 http://neal.mcburnett.org/
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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND ETHICS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20001-2745
441 4th St., NW, Suite 250 ? www.dcboee.org ? Telephone (202) 727-2525 ? Fax
(202) 347-2648
MEDIA RELEASE D.C. BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND ETHICS
September 21, 2010
Contact: Alysoun McLaughlin, amclaughlin@xxxxxxxxxx
202-727-2511 (direct)/202-441-1121 (cell)

Board Announces Public Test of Digital Vote by Mail Service Open
Source Solution Provides Secure Alternative for Overseas Voters Who
Are Underserved by Traditional Vote by Mail

WASHINGTON, D.C. --The Board of Elections and Ethics today announced
that the public examination phase of the Digital Vote by Mail pilot
project for overseas voters will begin on Friday, September 24.

Digital Vote by Mail is a first-in-the-nation use of open source
technology to provide a secure means for overseas voters to obtain,
print and mail their ballot - and, if the voter chooses, also
digitally mark and return their ballot. After testing is completed,
the service will be made available to overseas voters, who often do
not have enough time to receive and return their ballot by mail in the
few weeks between the September primary and the November general
election. Prior to Digital Vote by Mail, the only option for these
voters was to sacrifice the secrecy of their ballot by using e-mail or
fax.

During the test period, which will continue through Thursday,
September 30, individuals who wish test and comment on the technology
and usability of the application will be granted access to the
application, a complete system architectural diagram, and access to
the underlying source code.

A limited number of test credentials will be available on a
first-come, first-served basis beginning on Friday morning. Using
these test credentials, a tester may log in as a fictitious District
voter and request, complete and submit an absentee ballot. The Board
will compile all test ballots and test the decoding software and back
office processes needed to accept and process digitally transmitted
ballots. The Board asks testers to thoroughly test the system and
disclose any security, programmatic, usability or other functional or
design issues they discover in the testing process. All data, hardware
and software are logically and physically segregated from all other
Board systems. Users will not be held liable for damage resulting from
good faith efforts at testing system integrity.

For more information or to submit a request for test credentials,
visit www.dcboee.us/DVM.

The District of Columbia Board of Elections & Ethics is the
independent agency of the District government responsible for the
administration of elections, ballot access and voter registration.