San Francisco's Voting System

Ranked Choice Voting

Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference and eliminates the need to conduct separate runoff elections. When the Department of Elections implemented ranked-choice voting in 2004, the City’s voting systems allowed voters to rank up to three candidates. The current voting system allows voters to rank up to a maximum of 10 candidates in a ranked-choice contest.

The ballot format for ranked-choice voting contests is a grid, with the names of candidates listed in the left column and rankings in the top row. Voters can rank all available candidates in a given contest – up to a maximum of 10 candidates – using the columns on the ballot to indicate their choices.

To vote for a qualified write-in candidate who is not listed on the ballot, voters can write the person's name in the space at the end of the candidate list and fill in the oval for the rank.

Practice marking a ranked-choice contest using the Interactive Ranked-Choice Voting Practice Ballot!

Accessibility

Our voting system allows voters to use a range of assistive devices to mark a ballot independently. Voters can select their preferred ballot format, font, background color, and language. Voters can move through a ballot using a braille keypad, headphones, or other device. Available devices include sip and puffs, paddles, and head pointers. 

Intuitive ballot marking

Voters indicate their selections simply by filling in ovals.

Security

The voting system incorporates the most recent security standards from the California Secretary of State’s Office (SOS) and has been certified for use in California by the SOS.

The SOS applies one of the most rigorous voting system testing and certification programs in the country. Prior to being certified for use, all voting systems undergo end-to-end testing, including functional testing, source code review, red team security testing with experts trying to “break into” the voting system, and accessibility and volume testing.

In compliance with SOS certification standards, no part of the voting system connects to the internet at any time or electronically receives or transmits election data through any type of external communication network. The system encrypts data and requires successful completion of a two-step authentication process before anyone can access data.

Prior to each election, the Department of Elections conducts Logic and Accuracy testing of every piece of voting equipment that will be used in the election. During the testing, ballot cards are marked in a pattern to produce specific results for each contest. The ballot cards are then processed and the results are compared to the expected results to verify that the system is functioning mechanically (ballots are fed correctly through belts and rollers without jamming), logically (the unit recognizes the specific election’s ballot), and accurately (the voting equipment reads and reports the correct number of votes expected).

The voting system facilitates post-election risk-limiting auditing (RLA). RLA provides an additional method for verifying that a voting system properly recorded and tallied votes and accurately reported outcomes. 

Learn more about election security.

Transparency

The ballot-scanning machines and central count scanners count votes and capture images of marked ballots. These ballot images, which include records indicating how the votes were interpreted by the equipment, are posted online after the election. Interested members of the public can view, sort, and independently verify election results.

Components

• ImageCast Evolution Ballot-Scanning Machine

  

Every polling place has an ImageCast Evolution Ballot-Scanning Machine, that scans and tallies voted ballots.The ballots are then deposited into a sealed ballot box.
The tabulated votes and scanned ballot images are stored on a memory card. After the polls close on election night, the memory card is removed and transported back to the Department of Elections. The results from each polling place’s memory card are then uploaded into the total count.

• ImageCast X Ballot-Marking Device

An ImageCast X Ballot-Marking Device is provided at every polling place and Voting Center. The accessible ballot-marking device features audio and touchscreen interfaces and is compatible with a number of assistive devices, including a Braille-embossed handheld keypad (audio-tactile interface), sip-and-puff systems, paddles, and head-pointers.

The ballot-marking device allows voters to change text and background colors, choose from a broader range of font sizes, and adjust the reading speed of audio ballots.

Voters can choose a ballot in English, Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin audio), Spanish, or Filipino. Voters using the ballot-marking device have the option to view or hear a summary of their choices and change any selections before printing their ballots. The ballot-marking device only marks a ballot; it does not count votes. The device generates and prints a paper ballot with the voter’s selections. The ballot is then scanned through the ImageCast Evolution Ballot-Scanning Machine at the polling place for tabulation.

• ImageCast Central Count Scanner

An ImageCast Central Count Scanner is a digital scanner used to tabulate vote-by-mail ballots, provisional ballots, and ballots cast at the City Hall Voting Center. This machine scans a full digital image of the paper ballot and the voter’s marks and counts the votes electronically.

Documents and reports

• RFP Preparing a Business Case for Developing an Accessible, Open Source Voting System (PDF)
• Report on Open Source Voting System Feasibility Assessment (PDF)
• Information about the Department's 2015 RFI for a new voting system
• RFP for Leasing or Renting a Voting System (PDF)
• Pilot Program Application to SOS Voting Works - Revised - May 5, 2022
• SOS - Denial of Application for Pilot Program - May 2022