In the days and weeks before an election takes place, most voters will receive a large number of fliers from major candidates, as well as an official voter guide from their state or local government. An International Standard from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provides important guidance related to plates for offset printing, a widely-used printing method for brochures, fliers, books, and more. ISO 12635:2008, Graphic technology - Plates for offset printing - Dimensions, was developed by ISO Technical Committee (TC) 130, Graphic Technology. ANSI organizational member and accredited standards developer NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies currently serves as the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Administrator to ISO TC 130.
While most voters will cast their ballots in a polling station located near their residence, many individuals, including U.S. citizens living overseas and military personnel deployed in other countries, will send in absentee ballots to be tallied by election workers. IEEE 1622-2011, IEEE Standard for Electronic Distribution of Blank Ballots for Voting Systems, specifies the electronic data interchange formats needed for the distribution of blank ballots in a manner that is in compliant with the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). IEEE 1622 was developed by ANSI member and accredited standards developer IEEE.
As the day winds down, people will gather in front of their televisions to watch live coverage of the election returns, waiting to find out if their preferred candidates have been elected. IEC 60107-3 Ed. 1.1 b:1999, Recommended methods of measurement on receivers for television broadcast transmissions - Part 3: Electrical measurements on multichannel sound television receivers using subcarrier systems, provides important guidance to organizations using broadcast television receivers designed to receive multichannel sound. The standard was developed by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) TC 100, Audio, video and multimedia systems and equipment, which is chaired by David Carlton Felland of the U.S. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, serves as the U.S. National Committee (USNC)-approved TAG administrator to TC 100.
Once the voting and vote-counting are over, all those fliers, placards, voter guides, and other election-related printed material will need to be disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner. Thankfully, ANSI member and accredited standards developer the Environmental Industry Associations (EIA) has developed ANSI Z245.1-2012, Equipment Technology and Operations for Wastes and Recyclable Materials - Mobile Wastes and Recyclable Materials Collection, Transportation, and Compaction Equipment - Safety Requirements. This American National Standard sets down requirements for the construction, maintenance, operation, and use of mobile waste and recyclable materials collection, transportation, and compaction equipment.
On Election Day, while you're doing your part for American democracy, standards are providing essential assistance to the wide variety of activities that help make the modern election process possible.