Scanner Management

VotingWorks recommends that someone cleans the scanner and calibrates double sheet detection before every election.

Scanner Cleaning

The scanner must be clean to accurately detect marks on ballots. In order to clean the scanner:

• open the poll worker door

• open the access door

• open the scanner

Once the scanner is open, you can use cleaning fluid and a microfiber or lint-free cloth to clean the scanner. Dampen the cloth and rub with moderate force on the scanning glass and the rollers:

• clean upper glass

• clean lower glass

• clean upper rollers

• clean lower rollers

After cleaning, simply close the following:

• close scanner

• close access door

• close poll worker door

To confirm the scanner is clean and producing clear images, you may either run the scanner diagnostic or simply start scanning - if streaks are detected in the images, the software will alert the user.

Double Sheet Detection

In order to prevent voters attempting to scan two ballots at once, VxScan has a double sheet detection feature. To manage double sheet detection, navigate to the Scanner tab of the election manager menu.

Select Calibrate Double Sheet Detection to begin calibration. Follow the instructions on screen. You will need two sheets of blank paper that have the same paper weight as the ballots for the election.

The Disable Double Sheet Detection feature is used to disable the ultrasonic sensor in the event that it fails and improperly rejects single sheets as multiple sheets. If VxScan stops taking ballots or repeatedly displays the Ballot Not Counted - Multiple sheets detected error message, contact customer support. This setting should only be used if advised by the VotingWorks support team.

Image Sensor Calibration

Under exceedingly rare circumstances, one may need to calibrate the scanner's image sensors with a blank white sheet of paper to ensure proper conversion from physical paper to digital image.

Machines are shipped with this calibration having already been completed by the part manufacturer, so this calibration does not need to be performed with any regularity and in fact may never need to be performed at all over the lifetime of the scanner. It should only be performed during L&A if ballots consistently fail to scan with generic errors unrelated to election configuration, all other reasons for failure (e.g., ballots not printed to spec) have been ruled out, and VotingWorks support has suggested this as a course of action.