Vermont’s Vote-By-Phone (At the Polls)  Voting System

This document describes the new IVS Vote-by-Phone system which is designed to enable people with disabilities vote privately and independently at the polling place. At the Statewide Primary and General Elections, in addition to all of the other ways you can vote, people with disabilities will be given the option of voting by phone at the polls using the IVS Vote-By-Phone system. 

How It Works

Preview and Practice Feature

Try It Out

System Security

Background

How It Works

The voter goes to his or her polling place, checks in at the Entrance Checklist and indicates that he or she wishes to use the vote-by-phone system. A poll worker uses a designated telephone to call the system, enters the poll worker and ballot access IDs to bring up the appropriate ballot, then gives the phone to the voter and leaves the voting booth. 

The system reads the ballot to the voter and, after the voter makes ballot selections using the telephone key pad, the system prints out a paper ballot at the office of the Secretary of State. The paper ballot is automatically scanned and can be played back to the voter for verification upon request by the voter. The voter may decide to cast it or discard it and revote.  

Preview and Practice Feature

Vermont’s vote-by-phone system permits voters to practice voting on the system prior to Election Day.  This will make it easier for voters and election workers on Election Day as it will decrease the amount of time voters will require to cast their ballots on Election Day. Prior to the election, voters will be able to use any touchtone telephone to call into the system and to practice voting. This will allow voters to become familiar with the contests and candidates on their actual ballot.  

Try It Out

To try out the system and practice voting your ballot:

1. Call your town clerk to get the ballot access 3 digit # for your voting district, 2006 Guide to Town Clerks.

2. Then call (866) 486-3838 to listen and practice voting on the same ballot that you will hear and vote on Election Day.

3. You can call in and practice as many times as you want. Most folks tell us that after using the system 2 or 3 times they can move quickly through all of the candidates and races.

System Security

All phone calls are answered by a computer system located at a secure location controlled by authorized election officials.  The computer will only permit access to the system from phone numbers that have been entered into the system prior to the election, and only after the proper poll worker and ballot access ID numbers have been entered.  

The vote-by-phone system will be pre-tested before every election to ensure accurate programming. The system makes no use of the Internet or any other data network, so the system cannot be “hacked.”  The only system input comes from DTMF tones, the distinct sounds generated by the telephone when its buttons are pressed.   

The vote-by-phone system produces a voter-verified paper ballot for every vote cast and the process can be monitored by observers. 

Background

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) required states to implement voting systems that are accessible for individuals with disabilities and permit voters who are blind or visually-impaired to cast their votes privately and independently. The vote-by-phone system purchased by the State of Vermont is designed to meet this mandate. 

The Inspire Vote-by-Phone system is produced by IVS, a voting services company located in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in telephone voting.  This vote-by-phone system will allow voters to mark a paper ballot using a regular telephone at the polling place.