A voting system that can scan paper ballots and tally votes. Most older optical scan systems use Infrared (IR) scanning technology and ballots with timing marks to accurately scan the ballot. Newer (digital) optical scan systems can also capture images of ballots as they are tabulated.
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A voting system that can scan paper ballots and tally votes. Most older optical scan systems use Infrared (IR) scanning technology and ballots with timing marks to accurately scan the ballot. Newer (digital) optical scan systems can also capture images of ballots as they are tabulated.
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Optical Scan. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved September 2, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/optical-scan
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High consensus
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Disputed
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High consensus
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Disputed
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