12 Telephone Voting User Manual 2024 v1.2.PDF.pdf

Elections ACT
Upgrade of eVACS® for the 2024
ACT Legislative Assembly Election

Telephone Voting – User Manual

Document Status: Final
Version 1.2
March 2023

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User Manual – Telephone Voting

Page 3
Document Control Information
The control ed version of this document is in electronic form.
Al  hardcopy versions are uncontrolled.
Modifications
Date of this
Version  Comment
Author
Reviewer  Release
Revision
2020-03-30
0.1
Initial Draft
CJB
AS

2020-04-01
0.2
Inclusion of comments from AS part review
CJB

2020-07-22
0.3
Inclusion of new menu items re audio services
CJB

2020-07-28
0.4
Inclusion of new item for Drive Replacement
CJB
JZ
2020-08-03
2020-12-30
1.0
Deletion of Data Entry details from document tree
CJB

2021-02-15
2023-03-08
1.1
Inclusion of multi-factor authentication 2024
CJB
CVB

upgrade
2023-03-21
1.2
Addresses reviewer comments
CJB

2023-03-21
Distribution
Name and Appointment
Document Name
Date of Issue
Version
Jiv Sekon, eVACS Project Manager, EACT
Telephone Voting - User Manual
2020-08-03
0.4
Jiv Sekon, eVACS Project Manager, EACT
Telephone Voting - User Manual
2021-02-15
1.0
Jiv Sekon, eVACS Project Manager, EACT
Telephone Voting - User Manual
2023-03-23
1.2

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User Manual – Telephone Voting

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1.  Introduction
1.1  Scope
The Telephone Voting System has three components:
1)  A telephone connection via which telephone calls may be received
2)  An IVR server platform which receives the telephone calls and via audio messages linked to
telephone keypad presses directs electors to:
a.  Register to vote by telephone
b.  Listen to instructions on how to vote via the telephone
c.  Vote by listening to audio messages and pressing keys on their telephone
3)  A Telephone Voting Server which receives information on which key has been pressed, and in
accordance with the sequences of key presses, records the voter’s preferences for their vote.
Information on the provision of 1) and 2) is provided in Section 2 Equipment required, and elsewhere
as appropriate, but the main function of this manual is to provide guidance on the use of the
Telephone Voting Server.  How voting by telephone is undertaken is detailed in the System Design
Specification [3].
Details on installation of the telephone voting system are provided in the Instal ation Manual [2].
The software to create the Telephone Voting Server is instal ed from the Election Server, and the
instal ation process is detailed in the Installation Manual [2] and summarised in the Election Server
User Manual.[1]
This Telephone Voting User Manual is focussed on the functions of the Telephone Voting Server
during an election.
1.2  Referenced documents
1.  Software Improvements Pty Ltd, eVACS® Election Server - User Manual, 2023
2.  Software Improvements Pty Ltd, eVACS® Installation Manual, 2023
3.  Software Improvements Pty Ltd, eVACS® System Specification, Part 1-Requirements ,2023
1.3  Acronyms
ACT
Australian Capital Territory
EACT
Elections ACT / ACT Electoral Commission
eVACS® / eVACS
electronic Voting and Counting System
LAN
Local Area Network
PIN
Persona Identification Number
USB-FD
USB Flash Drive
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User Manual – Telephone Voting

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2.  Software Summary
2.1  Authentication of the Telephone Voting Server
Schedule 1.13(1)
2.2  Software functionality
Schedule 1.13(1)
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2.3  Security, integrity and privacy
Key considerations in the design and development of the eVACS® software have been the security
and integrity of data.  As a result the instal ation process wipes al  data and software on the polling
place server disks and installs a clean and safe environment (operating system, supporting drivers
and utilities and application) for the software to run.
Direct access to the database or command-line interface is prohibited.  Print utilities are provided to
support printing of reports.  Data import and export utilities are provided to support the upload of
PIN/Voting Token pairs and the download of lists of used Voting Tokens. Data backup utilities are
provided to aid in disaster recovery.  Secure USB-FDs are used as the media to which votes are
backed up, and for the upload/download of PIN/Voting Token details.
2.3.1 Unused ports
It is important that processes are put in place to prevent unauthorised access to the Telephone Voting
Server and the telecommunications network connected to it.
Al  unused ports on the Telephone Voting Server and the IVR Server platform are to be inaccessible
via physical means as well as through disconnection by using features within the operating system.
Schedule 1.13(1)
2.3.2 Drive Replacement
Schedule 1.13(1)
2.4  Assistance and problem reporting
Should any problems be encountered in the use of the eVACS® software, please check this document
for clarification or detailed description of the relevant functionality. If the problem stil  cannot be
resolved, report the problem to Software Improvements for assistance.
For any issue with telephone access to voting or registration, please contact Software Improvements
immediately.
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User Manual – Telephone Voting

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3.  Access to the Software
3.1  Access control
The Telephone Voting Server does not use password-based access control, except for display of first
preferences, and Drive Replacement.  However, access to all functionality (selected via menu options)
requires the Master Admin card for the telephone voting server to be scanned after entering a
selection from the displayed Menu.
3.2  Conventions
Messages displayed on the screen are indicated using a blue typeface in this document.  Descriptions
and explanations are in black.
3.3  Set the date/time
The date/time on the Telephone Voting Server wil  have been checked as part of the BIOS setting
prior to installing the voting server software.
3.4  Telephone Voting Server Menu
Schedule 1.13(1)
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Schedule 1.13(1)
3.5  Stopping and suspending operations
Schedule 1.13(1)
3.6  Capabilities
Menu options 1, 2, 3 and 4 can be accessed at any time. Apart from these four options, the following
restrictions apply:
a)  Using menu option 5 disables that option, and enables 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11
b)  Using menu option 6 disables that option as wel  as 7, 8, 10, and 11, and enables option 5.
c)  Menu option 9 is disabled and not displayed, unless menu option 8 Start Audio Services has
been selected
Menu option R can only be accessed when mode 1 is displayed.  Option R is never displayed on the
menu screen.
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Schedule 1.13(1)