Votingindustry.com is today announcing the development of a new system of voting on paper.   The new system (called Digital Pen Voting) uses Anoto digital paper and digital pens to record votes.  This technology retains what is best about the paper experience; the voter actually uses a pen (yes, with ink) to mark a ballot.  The special digital paper (from Anoto Inc.) contains a fine grid pattern that is then read by the digital pen.

The digital pen is then docked in a small docking station and the vote is recorded.  A small screen alerts voters to overvotes and undervotes.  Write-in votes are also accommodated.

This technology does not require heavy card stock ballots that are used in optical scan systems.  In addition, the paper is NEVER feed mechanically into any device.  The pen that is used in the voting process will digitally record the positions marked on paper.  Those recordings are then stored and at the end of the evening the data are tabulated.

Votingindustry is conducting discussion with several digital paper/pen companies as well as with election vendors to bring forth the next wave of voting.    We soon will have a “Proof of Concept” demonstration available.

This system avoids costly printing expenses as you can print your own ballots on demand. In addition, each polling booth requires one inexpensive digital pen.  The amount of voters that can be processed greatly increases because you do not have a central scanning station that creates a “choke point” in the polling center.
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To learn more about Digital Pen Voting (or, DPV) contact: Chris Wilson at penvote.com or call 614-388-9119.  Election industry vendors who wish to partner with us are welcome to contact us as well. Our website will feature information where you can learn more about Anoto digital paper/pen solutions.  To view more about Digital Pen Voting, see our page on our site:  Digital Pen.

                                                   About Penvote

PenVote is a technology consulting firm that serves the election industry by developing new products and services.  It also runs the premier web site with information on the vendors and products that are used in the U.S. election market: visit: http://www.votingindustry.com.

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