Electronically-assisted Ballot Marker (EBM)
Electronically-assisted Ballot Marker (EBM): Machines that provide assistance to voters who are visually-impaired, who have difficulty reading English, or in…
Also known as: Electronically-assisted Ballot Marker (EBM)
Definition
Machines that provide assistance to voters who are visually-impaired, who have difficulty reading English, or in other cases where a voter has difficulty correctly marking by hand a preprinted paper ballot that is to be counted in optical scan systems. The device marks, or helps mark selected vote choices on a previously inserted, preprinted paper ballot. The machine then provides audio, tactile, or visual feedback to the voter on what choices they have made on the ballot. The resulting ballots are later tabulated on the same unit that processes ordinary hand-marked paper ballots.
Alternative Definitions
- Definition 2
EBM-marked paper ballot A BALLOT marked by an EBM.” 2007 VVSG.
- Definition 3
A machine that aids a disabled voter in marking a DOCUMENT BALLOT. A “ VEDB that produces an executed, human-readable paper ballo t as a result, and that does not make any other lasting record of the voter's votes. … One kind of EBM presents CONTEST CHOICES to the voter on an electronic monitor; after the voter finishes the ballot, the voter's choices are printed on a paper ballot that is the only record of the voter's choices. However, vote-by-telephone systems that are in use at the time of this writing are also EBMS. The voter uses an audio interface (remotely) and a paper ballot is produ ced (centrally). An EBM may mark ballot positions on a preprinted ballot or it may print an entire ballot (the latter kind are called EBPs); however, in any event, the ballot produced is assumed to be human readable and comparable to an MMPB.” 2007 VVSG. Abbreviated EBM. Also ACCESSIBLE BALLOT PRINTER.