Twelve Essential Elements for ELECTION SYSTEM INTEGRITY

Independent nonpartisan election boards and election officials at the federal, state and county levels.

Uniform voting standards, practices and accountability at all polling places and election facilities for federal elections.

National holidays established to conduct all elections.

4. Publicly funded nonpartisan exit polls conducted and reported on Election Day for all federal, statewide and other key elections.

5. Adequate federal funding to recruit, train and compensate two shifts of election judges, ballot counters and poll watchers.

6. All votes cast on paper ballots having legal vote status.

7. Upon close of polling place, immediate hand count of all paper ballots in public view. Computerized voting-counting machines may be used in addition to, but not in lieu of, ballot hand counts.

8. Upon completion of hand count, vote totals recorded immediately in triplicate on official report forms and signed by all election officials present.

9. One official report form posted immediately on wall of polling place or election facility and Internet.

10. The two remaining official reports and all sealed transparent ballot boxes delivered immediately to appropriate election authorities via chain of custody.

11. Precinct, county and state vote totals manually tabulated in public view at county and state election facilities. Standalone, non-wireless, computerized vote-counting machines may be used in addition to, but not in lieu of, manual vote tabulation. The tabulation pathway should be publicly accountable at all stages.

12. All paper ballots retained by election authorities in secure nonpartisan locations until statute of limitation expires.