Everyone Counts Sparks Historic Election in Oregon

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In a special primary election held on November 8, Oregon's voters needing special assistance used iPads to mark their ballots in the state's Accessible Voting Pilot Project using a system designed by Everyone Counts, a pioneer in electronic voting.

"2011 will prove to be the tipping point for long-needed electoral modernization and process improvement," said Lori Steele, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Everyone Counts.

With the ease, security, and cost effectiveness of the Everyone Counts system, this innovation is the tip of the iceberg with major elections coming in 2012.

Everyone Counts has implemented Systems like the one used in Oregon internationally, and adoption is on the rise within the US.

"By 2012, we expect to see dozens of states, territories and countries implementing some form of an electronic voting system," said Steele.  "It's mainstream. It's here now, and we're going to see great progress in the 2012 elections."

The pilot program is being used to save the state money and time while increasing accessibility for previously disenfranchised voters like those overseas, in the military, or with disabilities. It also complies with the MOVE Act, which requires accessibility for all voters, in time enough to vote.

"In government, it's all about trying to do more with less," said Oregon State Elections Director Steve Trout.

This is not the first time election officials have turned to Everyone Counts to improve their voting systems:

• New South Wales, 2011: Everyone Counts delivered universal access to the ballot through a secure online and telephone voting system offered statewide to almost 50,000 remote voters living abroad and with disabilities.
• West Virginia, 2010: Everyone Counts integrated digital solutions for overseas and military voters seamlessly with traditional election processes, bumping absentee ballot return rates from 58% to 92.5%.
• Utah, 2010: Everyone Counts implemented an electronic voting system that was MOVE Act-compliant — coming in ahead of schedule and on budget.
• Honolulu, Hawaii, 2009 and 2011: Streamlined election system saved the city 50% on election costs, and gave access to thousands of residents, some which were able to vote for the first time in their lives.

The Everyone Counts system is able to save election officials time and money due to its universal integration capabilities.

"Antiquated hardware-based voting systems do not serve voters or election officials well and billions of dollars have been spent implementing them," said Steele. "Electronic voting solutions are here to stay. It saves jurisdictions money, demands less time to implement, and allows everyone to have the same access to the ballot, with higher levels of security."

For its recent project in Oregon, Everyone Counts was asked to step in and develop a streamlined solution and did so in just three weeks.

Key Benefits of the Oregon Project include:

• Increased Voter Participation:  Driven by the ease and simplicity of the system, Oregon saw a 1500% increase in the use of the accessibility solution.
• Cost Savings. Everyone Counts' new system will save Oregon up to 60% in election costs.
• Greater Efficiency. Disparate voting groups (disabled, military, overseas, etc.) can use one, universal system, reducing errors and redundancies.
• Fast Turnaround. Everyone Counts solutions can be designed and implemented within weeks.
• Accessibility. iPad ballot system allows disabled voters to change ballot font size, have the ballot read using an Apple Voiceover screen reader, or cast their vote using SIP+Puff devices. Electronic systems are available to voters around the world.
• Security. Tamper-proof, military-grade ballot encryption and voter authentication and transmission verification ensure elections are secure and uncontested.

About Everyone Counts, Inc.

With secure, transparent and universally accessible election systems, Everyone Counts believes that efficient, affordable and trusted elections should be available to voters, election officials and poll workers everywhere. Our internationally recognized team of computer security and election administration experts has been establishing best practices in electronic voting since 1997.  For more information about Everyone Counts visit www.everyonecounts.com.

SOURCE Everyone Counts, Inc.