Diagram 1 — Technology Systems Map
All major systems used in U.S. elections, by phase. Click any system name to go to vendor details.
Ballot capture & tabulation
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PRE-ELECTION
ELECTION DAY
POST-ELECTION
STATE SYSTEM
Statewide Voter Registration System
(SVRS) — master voter roll, maintained by state
COUNTY HUB — USUALLY AIR-GAPPED
Election Management System (EMS)
Designs ballots · Programs all equipment
Aggregates all results · Produces reports
COUNTY PROCESS
Ballot Programming & L&A Testing
Logic & accuracy test on all equipment before election
IN-PERSON VOTING PATH
CHECK-IN
E-Pollbook
Voter check-in
Queries SVRS live
ACCESSIBLE VOTING
Ballot-Marking
Device (BMD)
Prints marked paper ballot
PRECINCT TABULATION
Precinct Optical
Scanner
Scans & counts paper ballots
AFTER POLLS CLOSE
Encrypted Memory
Card / USB Drive
Sealed · bipartisan transport to county
MAIL / ABSENTEE PATH
BALLOT DELIVERY
Voter Requests or Receives
Mail Ballot
BALLOT RETURN
Voter Marks Ballot &
Returns in Signed Envelope
COUNTY PROCESSING
Signature Verification
Matched to voter registration sig.
Cure process if mismatch
CENTRAL COUNT TABULATION
Central Count Tabulator
High-speed scanner counts mail ballots
Results fed directly to county EMS
COUNTY — ALL RESULTS
EMS Aggregation
Combines precinct + mail + provisional
Produces official county totals
COUNTY PROCESS
County Canvass
Reconcile voters checked in vs. ballots cast
Reports results to state
STATE LEVEL
State Certification
Secretary of State certifies official results
Typically 2–4 weeks after election
MANDATORY IN MOST STATES
Post-Election Audit
Risk-Limiting Audit (RLA) or hand count
Paper ballots vs. machine totals confirmed
voter data
programs
transport to county · upload to EMS
Diagram 2 — How a Vote Moves Through the System
Step-by-step from voter registration to certified result. Two paths run in parallel and converge at the county.
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BEFORE THE ELECTION — SHARED FIRST STEP
Voter Registers → Added to Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS)
Maintained by the state · Used to verify identity at polls and process mail ballots
IN-PERSON PATH
MAIL / ABSENTEE PATH
STEP 1 — POLLING PLACE ARRIVAL
Voter arrives · E-Pollbook check-in
Poll worker locates voter in e-pollbook (synced to SVRS) · Marks voter as having voted · Prevents double voting
STEP 2 — BALLOT ISSUANCE
Voter receives paper ballot
Option A: Hand-mark paper ballot with pen
Option B: Use Ballot-Marking Device (BMD) for accessibility — BMD prints a marked paper ballot
STEP 3 — PRECINCT TABULATION
Voter feeds ballot into precinct optical scanner
Scanner reads and counts the ballot immediately
Results stored on encrypted memory card · Overvoted ballots returned to voter · Running total on display
STEP 4 — CLOSE OF POLLS & TRANSPORT
Polls close · Memory card sealed & transported
Bipartisan team removes memory card from tabulator · Sealed in tamper-evident package
Transported to county election office under chain-of-custody · Verified by bipartisan county staff
STEP 1 — BALLOT REQUEST & DELIVERY
Voter requests or receives mail ballot
VBM states mail automatically · Other states require application · Ballot arrives with return envelope
STEP 2 — VOTER MARKS & RETURNS BALLOT
Voter marks ballot · Signs outer envelope
Returns via USPS, authorized drop box, or in person · Deadlines vary by state
Signature on outer envelope is critical — it is the verification mechanism
STEP 3 — COUNTY PROCESSING
Signature verification · Ballot prep
Sig. on envelope matched to voter file · If mismatch: voter notified to "cure" their ballot
Once verified: outer envelope opened · Ballot separated (voter identity and vote kept separate)
STEP 4 — CENTRAL COUNT TABULATION
Ballot scanned on central count tabulator
High-speed scanner at county facility · Results fed directly to county EMS
ES&S DS850, Dominion ImageCast Central, Hart Verity Central are common central count systems
both paths converge ↓
COUNTY — ALL RESULTS COMBINED
County EMS Aggregates All Results → Canvasses → Reports to State
Precinct + mail + provisional · Reconcile voter count vs. ballot count · Unofficial results released
Diagram 3 — Final Steps: Certification & Post-Election Audit
After county results are in, two final steps complete the process in every state.
STARTING POINT
County Canvass Complete
All results aggregated in county EMS
Voter count reconciled with ballot count
County submits results to state
STATE LEVEL — TYPICALLY 2–4 WEEKS POST-ELECTION
State Certification
Secretary of State (or Board) certifies official results
Any recounts or challenges resolved first
Certification is the legally binding official outcome
often runs
in parallel
MANDATORY IN MOST STATES
Post-Election Audit
Risk-Limiting Audit (RLA): statistical sample confirms winner
Hand count sample compares paper ballots to machine totals
If sample doesn't confirm result → more ballots pulled or full recount
Air-Gapped Systems
Most county Election Management Systems (EMS) have no internet connection. Data moves via encrypted removable media only — USB drives or memory cards. This is an intentional security design to prevent remote tampering.
Paper Trails
The vast majority of U.S. jurisdictions now use paper ballots or Ballot-Marking Devices that produce a paper record. This creates a physical audit trail independent of any software, allowing hand recounts if needed.
Risk-Limiting Audits (RLAs)
Increasingly required by state law. RLAs use statistical sampling to confirm the announced winner actually won — without recounting every ballot. If the sample confirms the result, the audit ends. If not, more ballots are examined until confidence is established or a full recount is triggered.
Variation by State
These diagrams show common or typical practices. The specific systems, timelines, and processes vary significantly by state and even by county. Some states count mail ballots before election day; others may not start until after. Some use e-pollbooks statewide; others still use paper poll books.