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Glossary Term | Definition |
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sample ballot | An example ballot provided to voters with information specific to the voter. |
sample ballot pamphlet | Sample Ballot Pamphlets often provides additional election information such as the voter's polling place and hours, information about candidates, questions, and instructions for voting, in addition to an example ballot specific to the voter. |
sample ballot translation | |
sample official ballot | An official example ballot provided to voters with information specific to the voter. |
satellite location | An office that is physically separate from the main election office and may provide limited services. Voters can typically register to vote or receive an absentee ballot from these offices. Satellite offices are also known as branch offices. |
satellite voting stations | Temporary site set up by an elections office for the purposes of voting. |
scan-line | A horizontal line traced across a cathode-ray tube by an electron beam to form part of an image. Typically, this issue is caused by wet ink or some other substance transferred from a piece of paper as it goes through the scanner. The ink or other substance gets on the glass as the paper moves through, and blocks the light of the scanner in that area for future copies. |
scanner | A device that scans documents, images, printed text, handwriting, or an object and converts them into digital data. A Ballot scanner is a device used to read the voter selection data from a paper ballot or ballot card. |
scanning | The practice of using scanners to convert paper documents into digital images. This is done when capturing images of paper voter registration cards, and other election correspondence and when tabulating ballots. |
scheduled elections | Existing law that requires any federal, state, county, municipal, district, or other district election to be held on certain dates, usually on a reoccurring basis. |
school board | |
school board member | |
school board president | |
school district | A geographical unit for the local administration of elementary or secondary schools. |
school district superintendent | |
school superintendent | |
Score Voting | A single-winner voting system where voters rate candidates on a scale. The candidate with the highest rating wins. |
scroll | |
seal | A security mechanism using strategically placed serialized or tamper-evident materials that alert officials if a device used in the elections process has potentially been altered or accessed without authorization. |
sealed absentee ballot return envelope | |
sealed container | A container used to hold or transport election materials, such as ballots, where strategically placed serialized or tamperproof evident seals have been used to alert officials if it has been altered or accessed without authorization. |
seat | An elected office position that a single officeholder may occupy for a term of office. |
seat of government | |
second-chance voting | Feature of a voter-facing scanner that reviews the ballot for possible marking mistakes, informs the voter, and presents an opportunity to cast as-is or return the ballot. |
secrecy cover | A paper, envelope, or folder that encloses a ballot to maintain the secrecy of how a voter marked their ballot. |
secrecy envelope | An envelope that encloses a ballot to maintain the secrecy of how a voter marked their ballot. |
secrecy of the ballot | A set of rules and procedures to establish the fundamental right of voters in the United States to cast a secret ballot. These procedures ensure that no ballot can be associated with a voter, thereby allowing voters to mark their ballots freely and without fear of repercussion or reprisal. |
secrecy sleeve | A paper, envelope, or folder that encloses a ballot to maintain the secrecy of how a voter marked their ballot. |
secret ballot | A set of rules and procedures to establish the fundamental right of voters in the United States to cast a secret ballot. These procedures ensure that no ballot can be associated with a voter, thereby allowing voters to mark their ballots freely and without fear of repercussion or reprisal. |
secret ballot envelope | An envelope that encloses a ballot to maintain the secrecy of how a voter marked their ballot. |
secretary | |
secretary of state | A state-level officer who is responsible for various departments and functions. Secretaries of State are often, but not always, the Chief Election Official in their state. |
secure receptacle | An object used to store and safeguard election material. |
security analysis | An inquiry into the potential existence of security flaws in a voting system. Includes an analysis of the system's software, firmware, and hardware, as well as the procedures associated with system development, deployment, operation and management. Version 1.0 Volume I: Voting System Performance Guidelines Appendix A: Glossary A-17 |
security controls | Management, operational, and technical controls (i.e., safeguards or countermeasures) prescribed for an information system to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system and its information |
select |