Abstract
A commercial Votomatic machine was fitted on an instrumented platform and the forces associated with 277 stylus punches by 11 different subjects were tabulated. Subjects were instructed to use minimal force on some punches, so that the force needed to create partial outcomes (dimples, dangling and hanging chad configurations) could be documented. At low levels of stylus force, any of the intermediate outcomes were equally likely. Precise scoring of intermediate outcomes can give little indication of voter intent.
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