Election Management System (EMS)

1. Set of processing functions and databases within a voting system typically used to: develop and maintain election definition data, perform ballot layout functions, create ballot presentation templates for ballot printers or devices used by voters for ballot markup, tabulate votes, consolidate and report results, and maintain audit trails.

Source: Election Terminology Glossary - Draft, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), https://pages.nist.gov/ElectionGlossary/

2. Set of processing functions and databases within a voting system that defines, develops and maintains election databases, performs election definitions and setup functions, format ballots, count votes, consolidates and report results, and maintains audit trails. Version 1.0 Volume I: Voting System Performance Guidelines Appendix A: Glossary A-10.

Source: Glossary of terms database, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, https://www.eac.gov/glossary/; Cyber Threats to Elections – A Lexicon Office of the Director of National Intelligence, https://www.dni.gov/files/CTIIC/documents/CTIIC_2018_Lexicon_without_banner_small_file_for_Post.pdf

3. A system that integrates the functions associated with reading, votecasting, and tallying equipment for a given election with other election management functions.

Source: ELECTIONS: The Nation’s Evolving Election System as Reflected in the November 2004 General Election, U.S. Government Accountability Office, https://www.gao.gov/assets/160/157713.pdf

4. The collection of software systems that are used by election officials to “build ballots”. The EMS defines ballots by associating precincts with races and candidates and describing how those ballot components will be displayed. The EMS is also responsible for tabulation, report generation and auditing.

Source: Information Technology Terminology, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, https://www.eac.gov/documents/2017/09/21/information-technology-terminology-security