Open-source software, commercial off-the-shelf hardware, and paper ballots.
This guide walks you through the complete process to set up, test, and operate the voting system on election day. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the VotingWorks team by emailing help@vx.support or calling (510) 426-9991.
VotingWorks consists of two subsystems:
Central System: all equipment necessary for, election programming, central batch ballot scanning, results tabulation, and reporting.
Precinct System: all equipment necessary for use at the precinct to scan hand-marked paper ballots.
VotingWorks Central System includes two components:
VxAdmin: the main tool for local election administrators, which programs elections, tabulates and reports results on election night.
VxCentralScan (optional): a central scanner used for rapidly scanning absentee or vote by mail ballots.
The VotingWorks Precinct System is based around VxScan, which is a voter-facing precinct scanner that scans paper ballots and notifies voters of ballot issues for second-chance voting. All of the scanning components come in a tamper evident suitcase and the ballot box collapses.
All votes cast using VotingWorks equipment are on paper ballots for security and post-election auditing.
All absentee or vote by mail voters will receive a paper ballot to hand mark. Absentee ballots may be scanned by election administrators using a high-speed central scanner (VxCentralScan) or the precinct scanner (VxScan).
Most in-precinct voters will receive a paper ballot that is printed by a print vendor to hand mark. Precinct ballots are scanned by voters using a precinct scanner (VxScan).
