Create a Mail Ballot Export File for Relia-Vote

Note:  This topic is for counties with the BlueCrest (formerly Pitney Bowes) Relia-Vote interface to Voter Focus.

This topic explains how to create an export file of mail ballot information that the BlueCrest Relia-Vote system will use to prepare ballot packages for a group of voters, such as military voters stationed overseas. We call this file an export file because the information is exported from Voter Focus to an external system, in this case, Relia-Vote.

The export file capability is divided into separate batches—called run types—described here. Each run type typically has its own requirements for envelope preparation or the items in the package, so you will have a separate export file for each run type. You should process each run type every time you prepare files for Relia-Vote.

Note:  If you are creating export files for advance ballots, only the following run types are needed, but be aware that advance ballots are only used in rare circumstances.

OverseasMilitary
Overseas Civilian
Absent Domestic Military
Email
Fax

Each export file run type reevaluates voters' current registration status, party, and precinct to determine their current eligibility and ballot style. This ensures that a voter who makes a Vote-By-Mail Request and then moves to another precinct or party prior to the run will receive the ballot for their new precinct/party. Voters who move out of county after making a request, or who become ineligible for some other reason, will be included in the Absentee Requests not provided Ballots list in the report produced by the run.

Prior to the assignment of ballot styles to precincts (and designation of the federal election style for Fed Elections Only voters), voters who make a request for the election will have XXX in the Style column on the Vote-By-Mail tab of their voter registration record. The reevaluation by the run will also examine these voters and replace the XXX placeholders of eligible voters with the appropriate ballot styles.

Creation of a Relia-Vote export file causes an update to each voter record indicating that a mail ballot for the election has been delivered. You should be aware that reversing the update requires making a manual adjustment to each voter's record, so do not create this file until you are certain you are doing so at the appropriate time.

Note:  The format of the mail ballot export file—and therefore the information printed on the envelopes—is fixed for BlueCrest Relia-Vote. It cannot be modified by making adjustments to the Absentee Envelope document's form layout.
  1. Ensure that the election you want is in focus.
  2. Go to Vote By Mail >Deliver Ballots.
  3. On the Deliver Ballots dialog, select the type of run (for example, OverseasMilitary). Each of the run types has different requirements for envelope preparation or the items inserted in the package, so you should process each of the five run types. Each run will produce a separate export file.
    4. Note:  Military Dependents are included in the Overseas Military and Domestic Military runs.
  4. Click Change Sort Order and, on the Print Envelope Sort Order dialog, make any modifications you want to the sort sequence. Click Apply and OK to return to the Deliver Ballots dialog.
  5. If you want to limit the run to a specified number of voters, enter the number in Maximum ballots to print.
  6. Select Pitney Bowes Export.
  7. In the Mailing Date field, enter the date that the packages will be put in the mail. This date will be placed in voter records, so that workers will be able to advise voters who want to know when their ballots were mailed. Click OK.
  8. Select the ballot styles to be included in the export file and click OK. Voter Focus generates an onscreen report of voters who will be included in the export file and the totals for each ballot style. The report also lists any voters who requested a mail ballot but will not be included in the export file and the reason why they are excluded. Review the report carefully to verify it lists the voters you intend to include in the file. If there are any errors, fix them and start again with step 2.
  9. When you are certain that the list is accurate, dismiss the report and click Update to create the export file. Clicking Update also changes the status of the voters’ requests for this election from Absentee Ballot Requested to Delivered as of the mailing date you specified in step 7.

    10. The Windows Open dialog appears with the view of the folder specified in VOTER FOCUS ADMIN > System Options > Vote By Mail > Relia-Vote Options > Relia-Vote Export Path. The name of the export file is displayed in the File name field. Do not change the file name, because it conforms to the naming convention expected by Relia-Vote. You can change the folder location if you need to.

  10. Click Open.
Note: If you are unable to save the export file to the Relia-Vote folder, it’s possible that your user account does not have write permission for that folder. Try saving the file to a different folder, one where you are sure you have write permission. Then consult your network administrator about getting rights to the Relia-Vote folder.

The Deliver Ballots dialog reappears with the status of the export file generation shown in the bottom-left corner. When you see the message Printing of Labels/Envelopes is Complete, the export file has been created.

If you did not create the export file in the folder expected by Relia-Vote, copy it to that location now.

The export file is now ready for processing by Relia-Vote to create the mail ballot packages for the voters listed in the file.