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Undervotes to include blank votes (RE: State of Illinois )



This is a follow up from the original Illinois RCR posted by Larry Ensminger 10-6-99 (attached).  Larry Calvert has sent a fax restating the requests for Illinois and Wisconsin.  They look to be the same as the original requests, with one exception:
ILLINOIS MODIFICATIONS -- STATE MANDATED:
3)    SOVC report to include items 6 and 7 from the state board report.  Note that in Illinois Undervotes are calculated by using the following formula.  ("Times Blank Voted" X # to Vote For) + Undervotes = Undervotes.
Ignoring the algebra, looks like what they want is the same as Jeff Hintz requested some time back:  undervotes include blank votes.  The question is, do they also want undervotes to include blank races due to overvotes or not?
 
I would rather not start adding multiple flags for undervotes (include blank, include over), and instead have a consistent set of rules for people to support/document/train.  If its really a state statute though, we are going to need some kind of flag.  Did GBS run VTS in Wisconsin?  Did VTS deal with this issue? 
 
Ken
 


Submitted on behalf of GBS and the State of Illinois (note the language is by Diane Felts, State of Illinois):
 
1.    The Election Summary Report will:
            a.    List "Votes Cast" rather than "Total Votes" since the totals reported on this report are the "Votes Cast."
            b.    Not list any write-ins except for Declare Write-in Candiates, if possible.
            c.    If possible, list the "Vote For."
2.    The Statement of "Votes Cast" will include at least the following:
            a.    The "Vote For"
            b.    "Ballots Counted"
            c.    "Votes Cast"
            d.    "Blank Ballot Total"
            e.    "Undervote Total"
            f.    "Overvote Total"
            g.     Candidates' Total
            h.    Declared Write-in Candidate Name(s) and Total(s)
3.    The Statement of Votes shall not report the percentages for overvotes, undervotes and blank times voted.
4.    The Statement of Votes shall not report write-in votes except for Declared Write-In Candidates.
5.     The Tabulator will not tabulate and report write-in votes nor segregate them into a separate ballot box bin since it cannot distinguish a valid from an invalid write-in vote.  The election judges will tally any write-in votes and complete the necessary tally sheets as prescribed by Election Law.