Voting Systems

Hernando County uses an optical scan voting system called ImageCast Evolution (ICE) Tabulation System. This voting system uses paper ballots. At the polling place an Election Worker issues a paper ballot to the voter and directs the voter to a private voting booth. The voter marks the ballot with the marking pen provided in the booth, proceeds to the ballot box and inserts the voted ballot into the ICE unit. F.S. 101.56075

ImageCast Evolution or ICE units are a state certified optical scan voting system manufactured by Dominion Voting Systems. This system streamlines the voting process, while providing a simple, fast and secure method of conducting an election.

ICE units are the only all-in-one optical scan tabulator and ballot marking devices which offer the ability for simultaneous standard and accessible voting sessions.The ICE tabulator provides the voter an easy, user friendly method of casting his or her ballot. At the polls, the voter receives a paper ballot in a secrecy sleeve.  Using a felt tip marker provided at the voting booth, the voter records their vote by filling in the oval next to their choices. Once the voter has cast their ballot, the ICE unit will either accept the cast vote with a “ding” sound from the machine, or will reject the ballot while displaying a large error message on the screen with appropriate action that needs to be taken.

ICE allows all voters to vote their ballot privately and independently.  By using an external monitor and ADA Keypad, persons who are blind or visually impaired are allowed to vote without the assistance of others while seamlessly depositing all ballots in the same ballot box.

Security of our Voting Systems

1. Our tabulation equipment is secured behind locked doors, armed with a security system, and under 24-hour camera surveillance.
2. Our tabulation equipment is state certified. Each machine must pass a 100% Logic and Accuracy test in order to be used in an election. During this test, we use pre-marked test decks to ensure the tabulation equipment is scanning and tabulating results accurately. Four different seals are placed on the tabulators and logged to ensure data is not tampered with.
3. Chain of custody logs are kept during transportation of tabulation equipment. At each point of transportation, a log is kept verifying the seals are intact with date and time stamps for each transaction.
4. Result files are digitally signed and encrypted using certified software then transmitted via cellular network to a stand-alone server. The results do not travel across the internet to be tabulated.
5. Paper result tapes are also printed and retained for 22 months along with the paper ballots.
6. Our results are verified with a manual audit. A random precinct and contest is selected and all ballots from Early Voting, Vote-by-Mail, and Election Day are collected, hand counted and compared to the tabulation results for that precinct.