What happens after the polls close....

[Rose Springvale]

Timo, Jon posted all the data here: http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2290

thanks for following up!

[Jon Seattle]

Sorry I missed this question about raw data:

1. The voting system allows any voter to check their vote at any time while the polls are open.

2. A complete raw data file is passed to the SC when the vote is reported. Also a copy of the software that does the seat allocation and Borda count calculations in included so they can verify my results. The data involved is passed without voter identification and in random order so as to keep votes from being identified by individual.

3. I do not look at raw votes (identified or not) while voting is underway.

The problem with publishing the raw votes is that in some cases (because we are a small community) it may be possible to work backwards with poll observations to determine who posted what vote. I was not sure from your comments wether you were suggesting we give up on anonymity altogether. I hope we will not.

The decision to publish the data file I pass to the SC is constitutionally up to the SC. I think it most cases it would not reveal the voter's identity. I would be happy enough if they decided that the risk was worth it, but this decision is up to them. There is a real risk that some voters would be identified and that risk should be taken seriously.

[Timo Gufler]

Thanks for the response, Jon. My point was to ask what our policy is about the anonymized raw data. In other words, if the raw votes with voters' identities removed could be made public to increase openness (regarding possible technical failures) and to allow the people to make their own conclusions about the elections results details. There seems to be a desire to simplify elections and maybe that could make voting "thumbnails" harder to identify.