Hart InterCivic Introduces the Technologically Advanced and Federally Certified eScan Digital Ballot Imaging System for Precinct Voting 
Austin -    25 October 2005

AUSTIN eScan's Digital Voting Technology is More Accurate and Secure than Optical Scanning Systems   

Austin-based Hart InterCivic, a national leader in election technology solutions, announced today the introduction of the eScan(TM) System, a digital ballot imaging system for precinct-based voting.

The eScan is a precinct-based voting system that digitally captures voter ions on printed ballots and integrates vote totals from other absentee-by-mail and electronic voting systems, including Hart InterCivic's widely successful eSlate(R) Electronic Voting System, to produce a single set of election reports.

Hart InterCivic's eScan successfully completed its federal certification process this week. The National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) Technical Subcommittee has completed review of the Independent Testing Authority (ITA) reports for Hart System 5.0 (which includes the eScan) and has issued the following NASED number for this system: N-1-04-22-22-003. The NASED website (www.nased.org) will be d shortly to reflect this new qualification information.

The eScan is part of Hart InterCivic's scalable, flexible and successful voting solution. Because it relies on more advanced digital technology rather than older optical systems, the eScan is more accurate and secure than other precinct optical scan systems. Hart's process from ballot definition to election results reporting is a proven architecture used in hundreds of elections nationwide. At the foundation of the eScan software is Hart InterCivic's proven Ballot Now(TM) System. Ballot Now, a digital image scan system, has been used to accurately process and resolve millions of absentee and Election Day ballots by Hart customers throughout the nation.

"We are very excited to introduce the eScan System to election officials across the country," said David E. Hart, Hart InterCivic's Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "The eScan will provide additional accuracy and security protections compared to precinct-based optical scan voting systems for those jurisdictions who prefer the option of using a paper-based voting system. Additionally, it's built upon our already proven election technology and integrates seamlessly with our existing products."

The eScan System's security model was developed using best practices based upon the International BS7799 Information Security Standards (see information on Hart InterCivic's BS7799 certification at http://www.hartintercivic.com/innerpage.php?pageid=25) and Symantec Corporation's security risk assessment of Hart's voting technology and their thorough review of Hart's development process. For additional information, view Symantec's white paper on Hart's voting technology titled, "Securing the eSlate Electronic Voting System: Application Security Implementation" at www.hartic.com/files/HART_SYMANTEC_SECURITY_REPORT_White_Paper.pdf.

In addition, the eScan System provides an excellent opportunity for second-chance voting. eScan's capabilities include functionality to reject overvoted, undervoted and blank ballots thereby providing second chance voting at the precinct, just as voters would have through the use of the eSlate Electronic Voting System's summary screen. With eScan, voters know instantly if their ballot was accepted or rejected and have the opportunity to change or correct their ballot before it is cast and counted in compliance with Title III, Subtitle A, Section 301 of HAVA.

More information about the eScan can be found on Hart's website at http://www.hartintercivic.com/files/eScan.pdf.