Write-in adjudication handling when overvotes are allowed

[adghayes]

Relevant threads:

• https://votingworks.slack.com/archives/CJU9MSC6S/p1732143593055329
• https://votingworks.slack.com/archives/C07QH5HUBH9/p1732298174667139

[nikhilb4a]

Overview

Key finding
As previously found, for both marked and unmarked write-in, we see that post-adjudication the write-in candidate has a count of 1 when it should have a count of 0. Existing candidate vote correctly has count of 0. Overvote correctly has count of 1.

Additional oddities

1. For marked write-in overvote, on polls closed we show the write-in count is 0 (and overvote is 1), but on Admin pre-adjudication we show the unadjudicated write-in count is 1 (and overvote is 1).
2. For unmarked write-in overvote, on ingest we warn the overvote will not count, but the tally report shows a vote only for marked existing candidate without an overvote. This is likely correct because Drew mentioned that before a write-in is adjudicated, we consider it an undervote.
3. For unmarked write-in overvote, the transition from pre to post adjudication is strange when there is a valid write-in. Pre-adjudication existing candidate A has vote=1, overvote =0, write-in=0. Post-adjudication, candidate A has vote =0, overvote=1, write-in=1. In reality this is the same key bug, as the only issue is that write-in should be 0. It is just especially odd right now that all 3 counts flip.

Testing

Marked write-ins in an overall overvote (marked existing candidate A + marked write-in)

1. VxScan ballot input

• On ingest, warning that there is an overvote and the vote will not be counted. Cast ballot as is.

2. VxScan pre-adjudication tally report printed on polls close

• 1 ballot cast. Marked existing candidate A count is 0. Write-in count is 0. Overvote count is 1.

3. VxAdmin pre-adjudication tally report

• 1 ballot cast. Marked existing candidate A count is 0. Unadjudicated write-in count is 1. Overvote is 1.

4. VxAdmin write-in report pre-adjudication

• 1 total write-ins. 1 not adjudicated.

If write-in is marked as undervote:

1. VxAdmin post-adjudication tally report

• Marked existing candidate A count 1. Write-in count is 0. Overvote count is 0.

2. VxAdmin write-in report post-adjudication

• 1 total write-in, 1 invalid

If write-in is marked as valid write-in candidate “Test Candidate”:

1. VxAdmin post-adjudication tally report

• 1 ballot cast. Marked existing candidate A count 0. Test Candidate has count 1. Overvote count 1.

2. VxAdmin write-in report post-adjudication

• 1 total write-in. “Test candidate” count 1.

If write-in is marked as a different existing candidate B:

1. VxAdmin post-adjudication tally report

• 1 ballot cast. Existing candidate A count 0. Existing candidate B has count 1. Overvote count 1.

2. VxAdmin write-in report post-adjudication

• 1 total write-in. Existing official candidate count 1.

Unmarked write-ins in an overall overvote (marked existing candidate A + unmarked write-in)

1. VxScan ballot input

• On ingest, warning that there is an overvote and the vote will not be counted. Cast ballot as is.

2. VxScan pre-adjudication tally report printed on polls close

• 1 ballot cast. Marked existing candidate A count is 1. Write-in count is 0. Overvote count is 0.

3. VxAdmin pre-adjudication tally report

• 1 ballot cast. Marked existing candidate A count is 1. Write-in count is 0. Overvote count is 0. Same as VxScan polls-closed.

4. VxAdmin write-in report pre-adjudication

• 1 total write-ins. 1 not adjudicated.

If write-in is marked as undervote:

1. VxAdmin post-adjudication tally report

• Marked existing candidate A count is 1. Write-in count is 0. Overvote count is 0.

2. VxAdmin write-in report post-adjudication

• 1 total write-in, 1 invalid

If write-in is marked as valid write-in candidate “Test Candidate”:

1. VxAdmin post-adjudication tally report

• 1 ballot cast. Marked existing candidate A count is 0. Test Candidate count is 1. Overvote count 1.

2. VxAdmin write-in report post-adjudication

• 1 total write-in. “Test candidate” count 1.

If write-in is marked as a different existing candidate B:

1. VxAdmin post-adjudication tally report

• 1 ballot cast. Marked existing candidate A count is 0. Existing candidate B count is 1. Overvote count 1.

2. VxAdmin write-in report post-adjudication

• 1 total write-in. Existing official candidate count 1.

[nikhilb4a]

When tabulating write-ins, we aggregate counts across CVRs via Store.getWriteInTallies via SQL, so we don't know if a write-in is part of an overvote when we include the write-ins in the final results. #5815 addresses this using a temporary workaround for 4.0.2, with a larger fix to be included in the adjudication revamp project.