Bringing Transparency to Election Audits: ABE "Auditable Ballot Examination"- Enhancing Trust in Democratic Processes
Democratic elections are the cornerstone of a functioning society ensuring that citizens have a voice in the governance of their country. The integrity of these elections must be beyond reproach to maintain public confidence. Transparent and verifiable election audits are essential in achieving this goal. One innovative approach to enhancing transparency is ABE "Auditable Ballot Examination," which allows both election officials and voters to independently verify election results by examining anonymous digital ballot images.
The Importance of Transparent Election Audits
Election audits serve as a critical tool for ensuring the accuracy and legitimacy of election results. They provide a mechanism for detecting and correcting errors, thereby safeguarding the electoral process. Transparent audits also foster public trust and confidence, as they demonstrate that the election results are accurate and free from manipulation.
Traditional methods of auditing elections often rely on manual recounts or random sampling of paper ballots. While these methods are effective to some extent, they can be time-consuming, costly, and susceptible to human error. The need for a more efficient and transparent auditing system has led to the development of a hybrid Auditable Ballot Examination (ABE).
What is ABE "Auditable Ballot Examination"?
ABE is a revolutionary approach to election auditing that leverages digital technology to enhance transparency and verifiability. The core idea behind ABE is to create and utilize anonymous digital images of each ballot cast in an election. These images are then made available for independent verification by election officials and voters alike.
The ABE system ensures that each digital ballot image is a true and accurate representation of the corresponding paper ballot. This is achieved through rigorous processes that include secure scanning, encryption, and anonymization of the ballots.
By using ABE, election audits can be conducted more efficiently and with greater accuracy, significantly reducing the potential for errors and fraud.
How ABE Enhances Transparency
One of the key benefits of ABE is its ability to enhance transparency in the election auditing process. By providing access to anonymous digital ballot images, ABE allows for independent verification of election results. This means that voters, political parties, watchdog organizations, and other stakeholders can examine the digital images to ensure that the ballots were counted accurately and fairly.
This level of transparency is unprecedented in traditional election auditing methods. It empowers citizens to take an active role in the verification process, thereby increasing their trust in the electoral system. Furthermore, the use of digital images facilitates more efficient and comprehensive audits, as they can be easily stored, shared, and analyzed.
Secure and Anonymous Verification
A critical aspect of ABE is the anonymization of digital ballot images. Ensuring voter privacy and confidentiality is paramount in any election process. The vendors system employs advanced encryption techniques to anonymize ballot images, ensuring that they cannot be traced back to individual voters. This maintains the secrecy of the ballot while allowing for transparent and verifiable audits.
The Balance of Privacy and Transparency in Elections
The act of voting is private, but election counting is meant to be public. After a ballot is cast, it loses any personal identifiers and becomes an anonymous public record, reinforcing trust in the system.
Why are We Offering ABE for Free?
“We at AUDIT USA are offering Abe because we deeply care about our country, the integrity of elections, our Democratic Republic, and our families,” said John Brakey, co-founder, Activist and Director of AUDIT USA.
Transparency equals truth.
Honest Abe Lincoln believed in transparency as evidenced by the following quote:
“I have faith in the people. They will not consent to disunion. The danger is, they are misled. Let them know the truth, and the country is safe.”
HERE’S A QUOTE OF ABE THAT FEELS EERILY RELEVANT:
"Abraham Lincoln once warned that America would never be destroyed by an external enemy. If it were to falter, it would crumble from within, through division and internal strife."
For over two decades, AUDIT USA has observed a troubling trend
Trust in election outcomes often depends on whether an individual’s preferred candidate wins.
This undermines democracy, as the integrity of elections should be verifiable and trusted by all, regardless of political affiliation.
A 2023 Pew Research Center report underscores the severity of this issue, revealing that only 16% of Americans trust the federal government—a figure largely tied to partisan outcomes. Worse, only about 4% trust government independently of election results.
A sixteen percent trust level is a dismal number. The Pew report noted that. Quote:
“This is among the lowest trust measures in nearly seven decades of polling.”
This precarious reliance on partisan victory for trust in government poses a serious risk to our nation. It fuels division, cynicism, and even violence, with many questioning the legitimacy of election results.
"When people lose faith in elections, voter turnout declines, eroding the foundation of democratic participation.”
To restore trust, we must move beyond partisan biases and empower all citizens to independently verify election results. Transparent and verifiable election systems are essential to safeguarding democracy and ensuring that every voter’s confidence in the process is restored.
When people lose trust in election results, they are LESS likely to turn out to vote.
The Election Integrity Story: A Video of 24 Minutes
Here is an interesting fact, by Professor Barbara F. Walter who recently authored a book entitled “How Civil Wars Start.”
In an interview with NPR, Professor Walter said, quote:
“The 2020 election had the highest PERCENTAGE turnout in something like 120 years.” It was a boon for participation yet, 80 MILLION eligible American voters did not vote.”
The 2024 election cycle highlighted the urgent need for greater transparency in the electoral process. Nearly 90 million eligible voters did not cast a ballot—underscoring the critical importance of rebuilding public trust.
“Ensuring transparency and accountability in every vote is not just a right—it is a collective responsibility,” said John Brakey, Director of AUDIT USA.
Are we moving towards Autocracy Inc? Professor Walters said:
" Anocracy: Citizens receive some elements of democratic rule, perhaps full voting rights—but they also live under leaders with extensive authoritarian powers and few checks and balances."
Others and I call it “Autocracy Inc.”
A book by Anne Applebaum, an American journalist and historian renowned for her other extensive work on the history of communism and the development of civil society. Why read it? “Autocracy Inc.” Because it is better to understand then to be understood as being manipulated by corporate media funded by autocracy Inc.
What I like about working with Jonathan Simon of Who, What, & Why, I known him 20 years and he wrote the book on “COMPUTERIZED ELECTION and the WAR on American democracy, called “CODE RED” You start by asking those questions.
Abe is a hybrid system and an integral part of the solution to election integrity challenges, alongside other innovative systems.
Recognizing the critical need for robust election audits, Ray Lutz developed "Audit Engine," a software tool that enables verification of election results by analyzing digital ballot images. This groundbreaking innovation tally votes, thereby enhancing trust in electoral outcomes. Information about Audit Engine and Citizens' Oversight, visit their official website at citizensoversight.org.
The foundation of Abe is both simple and powerful: Anonymous election records should be public, giving every citizen the right to verify these digital records safely and securely in states where transparency laws allow.
However, in states where access to these records is restricted, we must advocate for change.
This involves engaging with candidates and emphasizing their responsibility to combat voter cynicism with facts.
By securing access to two critical public records—the ballot images and the Cast Vote Record (CVR) database—citizens can use Abe to independently verify election outcomes and ensure their integrity.
Transparency is the cornerstone of trust in any democracy.
Abe empowers citizens to independently audit election results, building confidence in the integrity of the process.
Many of us feel frustrated by the sense that an unseen “Wizard of Oz,” produces election results. However just as Toto the dog pulled back the curtain, “We the People” can do the same by working together fighting for transparency which absolutely is the currency of trust.
"Security We Can Trust: AUDIT USA emphasizes that the Abe system incorporates robust security measures to protect election integrity. "Anyone considering tampering with these digital records should think twice," said Brakey. "Original paper ballots are securely stored by the county and linked to a hashed digital image of each one, ensuring the chain of custody and accuracy."
This Redundancy Creates a Highly Resilient System that is nearly impossible to manipulate.
The system’s strength lies in its CROWDSOURCING APPROACH, using factual evidence to verify election results, particularly at the precinct level.
Abe organizes and leverages precinct data, backed by a well-documented history of voter demographics, to further support the verification process.
The Role of Precincts in Election Integrity:
ABE, A Better Election, organizes and cross-references precinct-level data, which helps ensure accurate election verification.
"Precincts are the building blocks of election integrity," Brakey explained. "Abe organizes and cross-references precinct-level data, streamlining the audit process. Operating within Microsoft Office Excel, Abe utilizes the county’s election system database, known as the Cast Vote Record (CVR), formatted as rows and columns in a spreadsheet.
This design ensures accessibility and ease of use, empowering citizens to verify election outcomes using data directly sourced from the official election record.”
By utilizing a two-screen setup. One screen displays the ballot images, while the other shows the CVR database, where each row in the CVR is hyperlinked directly to the corresponding ballot image for verifying the data.
For auditing totals in the CVR, we employ a risk-limiting type method. One auditor reads the ballot from one row, starts to finish, while another auditor cross-references each entry in the CVR to ensure a precise match between the two.
This meticulous approach helps to validate that each recorded vote is accurately recorded in the CVR to ensure every vote cast on the ballot matches perfectly and was counted.
Sampling methods need to vary by each precinct you audit. For example, in one precinct, you might review every 30th entry (positions 1, 31, 61, 91, etc.).
Since these machines only register marks within the designated bubble, discrepancies often arise from interpreting voter intent.
In the beta version of Abe, ballot image 421i (where “i” denotes image) reveals voter intent issues in thirteen out of fourteen contests.
All these votes to the were counted as “undervotes” on ballot 421i
In this case, the voter had circled candidate names rather than filling in the ovals. By chance, one of the circled names had a line that passed through the oval, and that was the only vote that the machine recorded as valid.
Once you confirm that the image matches the data in the CVR. Next go to Microsoft PivotTables to perform further analysis. By selecting the relevant column, choosing “Insert,” and then go to “Recommended PivotTables,” Abe generates a new tab that compiles totals for undervotes, overvotes, write-ins, and votes for each candidate.
This hybrid approach—combining human oversight with computer assistance—is the core strength of Abe. It ensures both transparency and accuracy, setting a new simple standard for election verification.
This information should provide a solid foundation as you get started. Abe is an exceptional tool, and after two decades in election transparency, all of us at AUDIT USA are proud of the reliable, verifiable results it delivers.
After all, No one should ever walk away from a ballot box wondering if their vote will be counted accurately. Transparency is the bridge that can help close the deep divide in our country.
We at AUDIT USA have been working on election issues for 20 years, and here is a bit of that history.
Jack Lowenstein 11/14/18 Excerpt: John Brakey, director of AUDIT-USA, recorded the wireless transmission of election results from an ES&S DS200 digital scanner- voting machine at a Broward County polling place on Election Day.
Video Provides Proof of Cellular Modems in Florida in this video:
Voting Machines. In the videos Brakey confirms that modems are installed in the DS200 voting machine and that they operate with a wireless antenna.
He observed one as successfully transmitting the results to the election management system, a program on a central computer at the election department that tabulates the results. Also seen in the video is the poll tape that the machines generate with the tabulated results.”
“A vulnerability like this means there is no secure chain of custody for election materials in Broward County or any other county that has modems inside or connected to their election systems,” Emily Levy said. “That means we can’t trust the official election results produced by those voting systems.”
This pairing of a cellular modem with a digital scanner voting machine is the precise vulnerability that could allow hackers near and far to gain access to election results.
“There are questions about the chain of custody for the paper ballots as well, so even their veracity may be compromised,” Levy said.
Who What Why spoke previously to election security experts who confirmed that the wireless transmission of results is vulnerable to attacks.
This pairing of a cellular modem with a digital scanner voting machine is the precise vulnerability that could allow hackers near and far to gain access to election results.
This proof-of-concept video (31 seconds) demonstrates how a USB-based hacking tool, such as a "USB hacker knife," could be used to compromise the Election Management System (EMS).
Link to video USB hacking knife: Introducing the USB Army Knife – the ultimate multi-purpose tool for penetration testers and red teamers. A special thanks to Ray Lutz of citizensoversight.org for discovering this powerful device: https://github.com/i-am-shodan/USBArmyKnife?tab=readme-ov-file
Additionally, a bomb threat could serve as a diversion, drawing attention away from potential tampering.
Several U.S. states are still utilizing cellular modems to transmit unofficial election results from voting centers or precincts.
This practice aims to expedite the reporting process but has raised security concerns among experts. As for recent reports, the following states have employed cellular modems for this purpose:
• Florida: Some counties use cellular modems to transmit unofficial results. Politico
• Illinois: Certain jurisdictions have adopted this technology for reporting. Politico
• Iowa: Specific areas utilize cellular modems to send preliminary results. Politico
• Michigan: Various counties have implemented cellular modems in their election reporting processes. Politico
• Minnesota: Some regions employ this technology for transmitting unofficial results. Politico
• Rhode Island: The state uses cellular modems statewide for reporting purposes. Politico
• Wisconsin: Certain counties have adopted cellular modems to expedite result reporting. Politico
• District of Columbia: The city utilizes cellular modems for transmitting unofficial election results. Politico
“It is important to note that while these states have used cellular modems, the extent and current status of their usage can vary by county and over time. Additionally, due to security concerns, some states have reconsidered or phased out the use of cellular modems in their election processes.” Politico
In the beginning at AUDIT USA, we uncovered significant vulnerabilities within election departments in Arizona that posed serious risks to the Election Management Systems (EMS).
Our journey began in 2004, but it was a 2008 Stephen Spoonamore video that help shaped our mission. The video highlighted the dangers of phone modems and cellular networks, particularly the threat of "man-in-the-middle" attack. [Spoonamore video.]
In Pima County, Arizona, we uncovered major election integrity issues, including the rigging of the $2 billion Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) bond election in May 2006. This case led to eight years of legal battles aimed at exposing these irregularities.
Attorney Bill Risner’s Letter to the Editor, published in the Arizona Daily Independent on September 28, 2012, provides a comprehensive summary of our struggles for election reform in Pima County.
Our investigation revealed numerous alarming issues you can read about in the statement of facts, including the use of illegal software, malfunctioning precinct scanners, and other serious irregularities.
One of the most troubling findings involved the Diebold audit log, which failed to secure election integrity.
The system bypassed the Election Management System (EMS), allowing the database to be easily accessed and manipulated using Microsoft Access.
For a deeper understanding, review the comprehensive 76-page Statement of Facts and watch the documentary Fatally Flawed, an essential resource for anyone seeking to grasp how a fundamentally broken electoral system operates.
During the processing of vote-by-mail ballots over several days, the election clerk in charge of the Election Management System (EMS) copied the database and took it home.
The following morning, he reloaded the database back into the EMS. When questioned, the clerk justified this action by claiming he wanted a "good backup" in case of a fire. The office already has a fireproof safe for secure storage—so why take the database offsite, and more importantly, why reload it?
The Diebold database, built on Microsoft Access platform, was inherently vulnerable. Anyone with basic knowledge of the program could access and alter the data—including vote totals—without triggering the audit log. This lack of safeguards created the potential for undetectable manipulation of election data.
When pressed, the clerk could not provide a satisfactory explanation for his actions, further raising doubts about the integrity of the election process.
Over eight years, we litigated four cases. We prevailed in three, but the fourth—focused on presenting evidence that the $2 billion bond election was rigged—ended in frustration when the court refused to allow us to present the critical proof.
In the end, the judge essentially said, "If they did steal it, what am I supposed to do about it?" The case was dismissed because we did not explicitly state that they were likely to commit the same offense in the future. We spent five years navigating the appeals process twice and finely we move on to our next case in 2014 Santa Cruz County, AZ.
Then in 2014, during a court case in Santa Cruz County (Nogales, AZ), we demonstrated that election manipulation could be carried out remotely, without ever setting foot in the county. Since 2003, William E. Doyle had controlled a backdoor to elections in most of Arizona’s counties.
Doyle had access to the phone modem numbers used on election day to upload precinct results to the central tabulator from polling locations. He used these modem numbers to load the election database and fix things if necessary—an illegal practice now in Arizona after we exposed.
Such actions created a system vulnerable to a “man in the middle” that could manipulation and set the stage for techniques like “Fraction Magic.”
Read this report by February 22, 2018 by Andrew Appel: “are voting-machine modems truly divorced from the internet?”
Shortly after we exposed Doyle, he retired. For more details, see “William E. Doyle: The Hidden De Facto Statewide Election Director” and “The Curious Business of William E. Doyle.”
I was invited back by several candidates for the 2022 midterms in Santa Cruz County to address issues related to election transparency. However, the situation escalated when the county sued me for requesting public records. (AUDIT USA press release July 26, 2024). We have won the case twice, but the county is still appealing. To date, they owe my attorney nearly $45,000 in legal fees.
The lack of accountability in this case is deeply concerning and raises serious questions.
The county government itself has become a hotbed of corruption. The county assessor was charged by the FBI with bribery, and over the past decade, the county treasurer embezzled $39.5 million. Shockingly, despite this scandal breaking last April, she was just charged 2 weeks ago, with a plea deal.
However, I would say that Santa Cruz County and Cochise County need a lot of work, both border Mexico.
Our efforts working with others paid off in Santa Cruz County, we have two new Board of Supervisors who were elected to replace two out of the three Board of Supervisors. More on the in the next few weeks.
Transparency equals truth.
Honest Abe Lincoln believed in transparency as evidenced by the following quote:
“I have faith in the people. They will not consent to disunion. The danger is, they are misled. Let them know the truth, and the country is safe.”
HERE’S A QUOTE OF ABE THAT FEELS EERILY RELEVANT:
"Abraham Lincoln once warned that America would never be destroyed by an external enemy. If it were to falter, it would crumble from within, through division and internal strife."
"At AUDIT USA, we take pride in our contributions toward making elections more transparent—and our work is far from over!
All of this proves to me again, that JFK was right. “One person can make a difference, and everybody should try.”
Conclusion
Democracy requires participation, and participation requires trust. But in today's world, trust in elections must be earned through transparency and verifiability.
By making ballot images and CVR public, we create a system where trust is not required—because anyone can verify the truth for themselves.
The choice is clear: we can continue with a system that breeds distrust and disengagement, or we can embrace transparency through technology that allows every citizen to verify that their vote—and every vote—was counted accurately.
“In a healthy democracy, election results should not require blind faith. They should be, and can be, independently verifiable by any interested citizen. The technology exists. The solution is clear. The only question is whether we have the will to implement it.” Says Bill Risner.
Hope is on the Horizon: Fast Simple Solutions for Election Transparency and Verification of Results.
AUDIT USA is thrilled to announce the launch of a free, groundbreaking tool that empowers everyone, media, election officials, candidates, and especially the public—to easily verify election results. This innovative software offers a simple, user-friendly way to independently verify elections.
Innovative Solutions for a Modern Democracy
Looking ahead, AUDIT USA envision a future where election verification is simple, accessible, and publicly accountable. Key components of this vision include:
• Email-Enabled Excel Spreadsheets – Hyperlinked to securely stored ballot images in the cloud, allowing instant verification of election results by members of the public.
• User-Friendly Platforms – Designed for ease of use, even for those with limited Microsoft Excel experience.
• Robust Verification Systems – Enabling stakeholders to cross-check election results quickly and accurately at the precinct level. ABE is a remarkable system. We encourage you to watch this video to see some of its capabilities in action: https://bit.ly/4bCo97E
Hope, Peace, and democracy,
John Brakey,
Director, AUDIT USA
JohnBrakey@gmail.com
Cell 520 339 2696
Please Help Us Make Elections Transparent, Trackable, and Publicly Verified.
We depend on donations to support our work:
https://www.auditelectionsusa.org/donate/
Get involved! Spread the word!
That the problems with elections are complicated, but the solution is simple—it’s called transparency, and its name is “Abe”!
We encourage you to watch this video to see some of its capabilities in action: https://bit.ly/4bCo97E
Link to Brochure on ABE with a Beta you can run and test: https://bit.ly/4gq5WfY