VoteInsight Specification

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VoteInsight

Analyze. Verify. Understand.

VoteInsight is an open-source civic transparency toolkit that empowers voters, journalists, independent observers, researchers, and community organizations to analyze election data, verify published information, identify statistical anomalies, securely document issues, and build transparent community-driven dashboards.

VoteInsight is designed to support independent analysis without requiring users to rely exclusively on centralized or potentially biased information channels. The platform combines reproducible data analysis, cryptographic verification, privacy-preserving reporting, human review, and modular support for different electoral systems.

Mission

VoteInsight provides accessible open-source tools for examining election information and understanding what available data does and does not demonstrate.

The project is built around the following principles:

Transparency through reproducible methods
Independent verification of public information
Privacy and protection for contributors and observers
Human review of significant findings
Clear separation between statistical indicators and factual conclusions
Community participation without centralized control
Adaptability across electoral systems and jurisdictions
Open-source development and auditable algorithms

VoteInsight does not automatically determine election legitimacy or make automated accusations of fraud. Statistical anomalies, discrepancies, and community reports are signals for review and investigation, not conclusions by themselves.

Core Modules

Data Ingestion Module

The Data Ingestion Module collects, imports, and normalizes election-related data from multiple supported sources.

Capabilities include:

Importing CSV and other structured data formats
Processing supported PDF documents
Extracting data from publicly available election result files
Supporting manually entered records
Supporting photographed tally sheets and result documents
Connecting to available public election data APIs
Normalizing data into consistent schemas
Recording source information and timestamps
Preserving original source files where supported

The module must maintain clear distinctions between original source data, normalized data, derived data, and user-submitted information.

Data Verification Module

The Data Verification Module enables independent comparison and validation of election-related records.

Capabilities include:

Generating cryptographic hashes for supported files
Comparing hashes between independently obtained copies
Detecting changes between versions of published datasets
Comparing official totals against independently submitted records
Tracking discrepancies between datasets
Preserving verification histories
Recording timestamps for imported and verified data
Supporting reproducible verification workflows

A detected discrepancy must not automatically be presented as evidence of fraud or misconduct. VoteInsight must distinguish between changed data, conflicting sources, incomplete records, transcription errors, and unresolved discrepancies.

Historical Data Archive Module

The Historical Data Archive Module preserves snapshots of election-related datasets and documents over time.

Capabilities include:

Creating timestamped dataset snapshots
Preserving previous versions of imported records
Comparing historical versions
Tracking additions, removals, and modifications
Associating archived records with source information
Supporting reproducible historical analysis
Exporting archive metadata and verification information

The archive must preserve sufficient provenance information to allow users to understand where a dataset originated and when it was collected.

Statistical Analysis Module

The Statistical Analysis Module provides transparent tools for examining election data and identifying patterns that may warrant further review.

Capabilities include:

Turnout analysis
Historical turnout comparisons
Precinct-level comparisons
Vote-share analysis
Correlation analysis
Distribution analysis
Statistical outlier detection
Trend analysis
Geographic comparison where relevant data is available
Configurable thresholds and methodologies

All statistical methods must document their assumptions, limitations, and appropriate interpretation.

Statistical results must clearly state that anomalies and unusual patterns are not independently sufficient evidence of fraud, misconduct, or invalid election results.

Digit Pattern Analysis Module

The Digit Pattern Analysis Module provides configurable tests for examining numerical distributions in election datasets.

Capabilities include:

First-digit distribution analysis
Second-digit distribution analysis
Benford’s Law comparisons where statistically appropriate
Expected versus observed distribution visualization
Sample size reporting
Statistical significance reporting
Methodology documentation

The module must clearly communicate when digit analysis is inappropriate or unreliable for a dataset.

VoteInsight must not represent Benford’s Law or other digit distribution tests as direct proof of election fraud.

Anomaly Detection Module

The Anomaly Detection Module identifies unusual patterns for human review.

Capabilities include:

Turnout spike detection
Turnout decline detection
Historical deviation analysis
Precinct-level outlier identification
Vote-share deviation analysis
Correlation anomaly detection
Cluster analysis
Configurable statistical models
Lightweight machine learning models where appropriate
Human-readable explanations of flagged results

Potential methods may include:

Isolation Forest
Density-based clustering
Statistical outlier models
Bayesian models
Historical baseline comparison

Machine-generated anomaly flags must include methodology, available confidence information, and relevant limitations.

Human Review Module

The Human Review Module ensures that significant findings are evaluated by people before being presented as escalated or verified public issues.

Capabilities include:

Review queues
Evidence review workflows
Multi-reviewer evaluation
Reviewer notes
Status tracking
Disagreement recording
Resolution history
Reclassification of false or unsupported reports
Clear separation between unreviewed, reviewed, verified, disputed, and unresolved information

VoteInsight must preserve appropriate audit records while protecting reviewer and contributor privacy where necessary.

Secure Evidence Reporting Module

The Secure Evidence Reporting Module enables users to document and submit observations related to election administration and voting conditions.

Supported reports may include:

Voting machine malfunctions
Long voting lines
Accessibility issues
Polling location problems
Intimidation concerns
Obstruction concerns
Result discrepancies
Administrative irregularities
Other documented election-related observations

Capabilities include:

Written reports
Photo submissions
Video submissions
Supporting document uploads
Optional anonymous submission
Metadata removal where supported
Submission receipts
Tamper-evident records
Human review workflows

VoteInsight must distinguish between reported observations, independently verified facts, disputed claims, and unsupported allegations.

Privacy Protection Module

The Privacy Protection Module protects users and contributors from unnecessary data collection and exposure.

Capabilities include:

Data minimization
Optional anonymous participation
Metadata inspection and removal
Configurable data retention policies
Encryption for sensitive information
Privacy-preserving aggregation
Separation of identity information from public reports where applicable
Local-first or self-hosted deployment options where supported

The project must avoid unnecessary centralized collection of personal information.

Community Dashboard Module

The Community Dashboard Module provides public and private visualizations of election-related information.

Capabilities include:

Interactive maps
Precinct-level views
Trend timelines
Verification status indicators
Aggregated incident reporting
Statistical analysis summaries
Historical comparisons
Configurable filters
Privacy-preserving aggregation
Accessible data visualization

Public dashboards must clearly identify the status and source type of displayed information.

Possible categories include:

Official source data
Independently verified data
Statistical indicators
Community reports
Reviewed reports
Disputed information
Unresolved discrepancies

Mapping and Geographic Analysis Module

The Mapping and Geographic Analysis Module supports geographic visualization where appropriate.

Capabilities include:

Interactive election maps
Precinct visualization
Aggregated incident maps
Anomaly heatmaps
Geographic trend analysis
Configurable geographic boundaries
Privacy-preserving location aggregation

Precise locations associated with sensitive reports must not be publicly exposed when doing so could endanger contributors or affected individuals.

Provenance and Audit Module

The Provenance and Audit Module records how information enters, changes, and moves through the system.

Capabilities include:

Source attribution
Import timestamps
Dataset version tracking
Transformation records
Analysis methodology records
Review history
Verification status history
Exportable audit information

The module should allow independent users to reproduce supported analyses from the same underlying data and documented methodology.

Electoral System Configuration Module

The Electoral System Configuration Module enables VoteInsight to adapt to different voting and representation systems.

Supported configurations may include:

First-past-the-post
Ranked-choice voting
Proportional representation
Mixed electoral systems
Multi-member districts
Country-specific or jurisdiction-specific ballot structures

The module must allow electoral rules and data schemas to be configured without requiring changes to unrelated core functionality.

Localization Module

The Localization Module supports global use across languages and jurisdictions.

Capabilities include:

Multilingual interfaces
Localized terminology
Configurable date and number formats
Jurisdiction-specific data labels
Translation support
Accessible language alternatives

Localization must preserve the meaning of statistical findings, verification statuses, warnings, and methodology explanations.

Export and Interoperability Module

The Export and Interoperability Module allows users and organizations to work with VoteInsight data without vendor lock-in.

Capabilities include:

Structured data exports
Analysis result exports
Verification record exports
Dashboard data exports
Documented APIs
Open data formats
Import and export validation

Where possible, VoteInsight should use open and documented standards.

Optional Plugin Modules

Optional plugins extend VoteInsight without requiring every deployment to enable all functionality.

Federated Network Plugin

The Federated Network Plugin enables independent organizations and communities to operate compatible VoteInsight nodes.

Capabilities may include:

Node-to-node synchronization
Selective data sharing
Independent moderation
Distributed verification
Federation policies
Trust configuration
Public key verification

Federation must remain optional and configurable.

Distributed Storage Plugin

The Distributed Storage Plugin provides support for decentralized or distributed storage systems.

Capabilities may include:

Content-addressed storage
Redundant storage
Independent node hosting
Cryptographic content verification
Configurable replication

Sensitive information must not be automatically replicated across public or untrusted networks.

Advanced Machine Learning Plugin

The Advanced Machine Learning Plugin provides additional analytical models for deployments with sufficient expertise and resources.

Capabilities may include:

Advanced outlier detection
Pattern clustering
Change detection
Document classification
Duplicate evidence detection

All models must provide transparent documentation of inputs, limitations, and expected behavior.

AI-generated findings must remain subject to human review.

Document OCR Plugin

The Document OCR Plugin extracts structured information from scanned election documents.

Capabilities may include:

Tally sheet extraction
Result table extraction
Document classification
Confidence scoring
Manual correction workflows

Extracted information must be distinguishable from source documents and human-verified records.

Cryptographic Proof Plugin

The Cryptographic Proof Plugin provides advanced methods for verifying data integrity and submission records.

Capabilities may include:

Cryptographic commitments
Merkle tree verification
Public verification proofs
Privacy-preserving proof systems
Zero-knowledge proof integrations where appropriate

Advanced cryptographic features must remain optional and should not prevent ordinary users from accessing core verification functionality.

Journalist Toolkit Plugin

The Journalist Toolkit Plugin provides tools for research, reporting, and reproducible publication.

Capabilities may include:

Citation-ready exports
Methodology summaries
Chart generation
Dataset references
Analysis reproducibility packages
Public report templates

The plugin must clearly distinguish verified findings from preliminary indicators and unreviewed reports.

Research and Academic Plugin

The Research and Academic Plugin supports deeper analysis by researchers and institutions.

Capabilities may include:

Reproducible analysis packages
Statistical notebooks
Dataset documentation
Methodology comparison
Controlled data access
Citation metadata

Privacy protections must remain in effect for sensitive information.

Public API Plugin

The Public API Plugin enables third-party applications to access permitted VoteInsight data.

Capabilities may include:

Read-only public endpoints
Verification status access
Aggregated statistics
Dataset metadata
Rate limiting
Access controls

The plugin must not expose private submissions or sensitive personal information.

Alert and Notification Plugin

The Alert and Notification Plugin provides configurable notifications for users and organizations.

Capabilities may include:

Dataset update notifications
Verification status changes
Review status changes
Statistical analysis completion
Configurable anomaly alerts

Notifications must be opt-in where appropriate and should avoid exposing sensitive information.

Independent Audit Plugin

The Independent Audit Plugin supports structured reviews of VoteInsight deployments and datasets.

Capabilities may include:

Configuration audits
Methodology checks
Data integrity reviews
Reproducibility testing
Audit reports
Public transparency reports

AI and Automation Principles

VoteInsight may use AI and automated systems to assist with:

Document processing
Data extraction
Duplicate detection
Pattern identification
Report categorization
Data normalization
Statistical analysis support

AI systems must not independently make final public determinations about fraud, misconduct, election legitimacy, or criminal activity.

Human review must remain available for significant findings and escalated reports.

Data and Evidence Principles

VoteInsight must maintain clear distinctions between:

Original source material
Officially published data
Independently collected data
Community-submitted observations
Normalized data
Derived analysis
Statistical indicators
Human-reviewed findings
Verified information
Disputed or unresolved information

The system must preserve provenance wherever possible.

Specification Branding License (SBL)

Standard

Fully AGPL-3.0+ compliant system
Copyleft enforced for network deployments
Required attribution:
- Roxanne Ardary
- https://www.roxanneardary.com/

Optional

Specification Branding License (SBL)
- Attribution-free commercial deployment
- Pricing based on scale, usage, and deployment scope
- https://roxanneardary.com/voteinsight/

License & Notice Requirements

VoteInsight is released under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 or later (AGPL-3.0+).
By contributing to this project, you agree that your contributions will also be released under this license.

Please note the following:

All contributions must comply with the AGPL-3.0+ terms.
Under Section 7 of the license, all redistributions, forks, and derivative works must preserve attribution to:
Roxanne Ardary and roxanneardary.com.
VoteInsight specifications are free to use with attribution. A Specification Branding License can be negotiated upon request.
The project’s notice.md file tracks attribution requirements and contributor acknowledgments. Any update that adds new contributors or modifies attribution should also update notice.md.
When submitting a pull request, ensure that any new files maintain the attribution headers where applicable.
Network-deployed versions of this software must also remain fully AGPL-3.0+ compliant, including exposure of source code modifications when applicable under the license.

For full legal details, please refer to the AGPL-3.0+ license and the project’s notice.md file.

Notice – VoteInsight

Attribution Requirement: Under Section 7 of the AGPL 3.0+ license, all redistributions, forks, and derivative works, including network-deployed versions of this project, must provide attribution to Roxanne Ardary and roxanneardary.com.

Contributors

This file tracks contributors and their specific contributions to the project.

Roxanne Ardary, roxanneardary.com – March 12, 2026
Created the repository for VoteInsight. Developed the open-source civic toolkit for election data verification, anomaly detection, secure evidence reporting, and real-time community dashboards.
[Add other contributors here] – [Date]
[Describe contribution in one sentence]

License – VoteInsight

This repository is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 or later (AGPL-3.0+).

Key Points

You are free to use, modify, and distribute the code.
All redistributions, forks, and derivative works or network-deployed versions must also be licensed under AGPL-3.0+ and provide attribution to Roxanne Ardary and roxanneardary.com as required under Section 7 of the license.
The software is provided “as is,” without warranty of any kind.

For the full license text, see GNU AGPL-3.0 License.