Hardware Specifications
VotingWorks equipment uses commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components whenever possible. The printers, scanners, and laptops onto which we install our software are usually items that anyone could buy online or at an electronics store. COTS equipment tends to be more reliable, affordable, and transparent than highly customized hardware. On this page, you'll find more information about the components we use and links to documentation about each component.
HP Printers
VxAdmin and VxMark print ballots with HP LaserJet Pro Printers. They are business printers that reliably and quickly print ballots with a low cost-per-ballot and low energy requirements. VxMark is paired with the HP m404n printer while VxAdmin is paired with the HP m404dn printer. The two are nearly identical black and white printers, the only difference being that the latter can print double-sided.
Product
Printer Model
Duplex
Color
Links
VxMark
HP m404n
No
No
VxAdmin
HP m404dn
Yes
No
VxAdmin can also be used to print in color with the HP m454dn printer, but due to the increased cost of toner and its bulkier size we normally recommend using the HP m404dn.
Toner
New printers come with toner pre-installed, but in the future you may have to install a new toner cartridge. The rate at which you use toner will depend on how dense the ballots are, i.e. how many contests are on each ballot. Both the HP m404n and HP m404dn accept the same toner cartridges: HP 58a or HP 58x, the latter being the high-yield version. To install a new toner cartridge, follow HP's instructions.
Feeder Tray
The primary, bottom input tray (Tray 2) has a paper capacity of 150 to 250 pieces of paper, depending on the thickness of the paper you are using. If you find yourself reloading the input tray frequently for large ballot printing jobs, you can use one additional, larger HP feeder tray to load an additional 400 to 550 pieces of paper at once. Follow HP's instructions to install the feeder.
VotingWorks can help you print your ballots in bulk with our printing partner R. R. Donnelley. Customers often pair the flexibility of on-demand printing for absentee ballots with the efficiency of bulk printing for their precinct ballots.
Scanners
Fujitsu Scanners
VxBatch comes with the Fujitsu fi-7160 business scanner, capable of scanning almost one ballot per second with VotingWorks software. We recommend using the scanner with the stacker (a.k.a output tray) down and fully extended, the stopper flipped up, and the detachable paper chute attached and fully extended:
For more detailed instructions on how to set up the scanner, consult the product Operator's Guide.
The fi-7160 should be cleaned before each election and after every 5,000 sheets scanned in order to maintain peak scanning accuracy. VotingWorks provides a Fujitsu ScanAid Kit alongside the fi-7160. The kit contains a copy of the cleaning instructions and the cleaning fluid, cloths, and swabs.
VxScan Kiosk Scanner
VxScan uses the Custom Scanner A4 document scanner as its scanning unit. Unlike the Fujitsu scanners used for central scanning, the Custom scanner is installed into VotingWorks equipment and should never be removed.
The Custom Scanner A4 should be cleaned prior to every polling place deployment. VotingWorks recommends performing cleaning during Logic and Accuracy testing. To clean the scanner, please follow the step by step instructions included in the Custom Scanner user manual. Specifically, apply a small amount of isopropyl alcohol to a microfiber cloth and gently wipe the two pieces of glass exposed when the scanner is opened. This procedure can also be safely performed at the polling place in the case of a scanner malfunction.
Laptops and Tablets
VotingWorks equipment uses standard laptops and tablets. Below is a list of devices currently in use in our products and links to documentation if you would like to learn more:
VotingWorks Product
Device
Documentation
VxAdmin + VxCentralScan
Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2
VxMark
Lenovo Flex 14
VxScan
Microsoft Surface Go
Hardware Dimensions
Item
Size (inches)
Weight (pounds)
VxMark
16.4 x 15.8 x 7.2
17.7
VxScan
21.5 x 13.4 x 15.5
26.7
VxAdmin + VxCentralScan Case
16.4 x 15.8 x 7.2
22.1
HP m404n Printer
8.5 x 14.1 x 15
18.1
HP m404dn Printer
8.5 x 14.1 x 15
18.9
Fujitsu fi-7160 Scanner
17.7 x 9.5 x 11.2
9.3
HP Elitebook 840
9.3 x 13.3 x 0.7
3.3
The VxScan ballot box capacity is 2000 ballots.
Last updated
