Microsoft Surface tested as balloting device in Virginia

[FredisDead]

http://www.geekwire.com/2012/microsoft-surface-tested-balloting-device-virginia/#utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Here’s an interesting milestone for Microsoft Surface: One of the tablets is being tested in Virginia this week as a balloting device for state and national elections there.

The test is being conducted by Democracy Live, a company based in Issaquah, Wash., that works with Virginia and other states to deliver electronic ballots and voter information. Democracy Live uses Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud-based platform, and the Surface is running the company’s “LiveBallot” application through the browser.

The web app lets the voter use the Surface to access, mark, and print a ballot for tabulation by a separate machine.

For now it’s just one Surface in one precinct in Charlottesville, Va. However, Democracy Live CEO Bryan Finney says the company plans to work with Microsoft on a broader rollout of Surfaces following the upcoming release Surface for Windows 8 Pro, which will run legacy Windows applications on traditional Intel processors. (The current Surface for Windows RT runs on an ARM processor, so it doesn’t support legacy apps.)

[SickOfTheOnePct]

1. I think that's a great idea

There is absolutely no reason that existing machines couldn't print a paper ballot that could be hand counted later, if necessary.