I don't understand these "voter access cards" used with the machines

[karlrschneider]

What exactly -are- these cards? Where do they come from and how do the voters get them, and when?
Are they tied to a particular person like a credit card? What do they actually do and what happens to them after a ballot is cast?

Sorry to be so dumb on this but I'm curious, we have nothing like them here in Okla.

[texpatriot2004]

1. kick it out of curiousity nm

[LiberalEsto]

2. I'm making a guess

I think I've seen them, when we had a mess during the Maryland primary in September. These are small white plastic cards that are inserted into the machines in order to activate them. The cards collect the voting data. After the voting is over they are returned to the county board of elections so the votes on them can be counted. counting.

[enlightenment]

3. They seem to be tied to the individual voter by registration

number - which suggests that, if they actually hold vote data, it would be possible to tie an individual to their vote -- which kinda negates the "secret ballot" . . .

That said, the little blue-haired volunteer that forcibly prised the card out of my hand during the last general election (1st time I'd seen them) told me that they all they put on it is the activation code and that they "can't write data" to the card itself. When I asked how they "wrote" the activation code on the cards, she turned her head and got the nearest cop/security guy's attention; I left when he started walking over.

sigh.

[karlrschneider]

5. Yeah, I hear that...but does each voter have his/her 'own' card?

This is all too weird for me.
:eyes:

[karlrschneider]

4. So they are 'smart cards' with memory? And that's where the totals

are stored? Why do it that way?...that doesn't make any sense (to me). Is there one card for each machine? Sorry to be obtuse but I just don't get it.

[enlightenment]

6. The poll workers here (NV) have boxes of them

on the table. There's this little machine hooked to their computers that they stick the card into when they look up your name. They print out a sticker that has your name and numbers on it - presumably your voter registration number, but some other numbers, also - they stick that on the list that you sign, beneath your signature.

I assume that the cards are blank when they stick them in the machine - the computer "activates" the card and I have to believe that it is putting information on the card that tells the voting machine something about you (why else use a new card for everyone?)

My question, which no one seems to be able to answer, is what goes on the card at the activation point and what, if anything, goes on the card while it is in the voting machine?

I don't think it's malfeasance - it's just another level of complexity in what should be a transparent process, and as such, it concerns me.