Introduction

This is an overview of TallyJ, appropriate for presenting to a Spiritual Assembly to introduce TallyJ...

The time required to count ballots during an election is a challenge that increases as the size of a community grows and participation increases. "TallyJ" is the name of a computer system that tellers can use to speed up that process.

TallyJ's core function allows tellers to transcribe ballots from paper to digital format. Once the ballots are entered into the computer, they are analyzed for spoiled ballots and the complete results are available immediately. Tie-votes are automatically identified.

Beyond the core function, tellers can also:

• Use TallyJ to register voters at the election venue before voting, including accepting dropped off and mailed in ballots.

• Display a Roll Call listing the names of the people voting

• Generate various reports, including "teller's reports" showing the "name of all who are voted for and the number of votes received"

TallyJ has been developed through the individual initiative of Glen Little, a computer software developer living in Calgary, Canada. It has, in various formats, been used every year since 2002 for elections in Calgary and numerous local and national elections around the world.

For a community to start using TallyJ, it is recommended that at least teller be "computer savvy" and spend a few days in the weeks leading up to the election learning about and testing TallyJ.