QVF Software Version 2.13 Released:  A new version of the QVF software has been released; **Please run the software update now. The software upgrade process will require 4-12+ hours depending on the size of your site. If your first attempt to upgrade is not successful, you may attempt the process up to 5 times before contacting the helpdesk. The upgrade must be successful before working in the QVF. 

**Note: The 23 Upper Peninsula sites should not to perform the upgrade at this time. Please continue to wait for further instruction regarding the procedures you will utilize to perform the upgrade.

• Go to the QVF Server Manager
• A message will appear, reminding you that no other programs should be open.  Click OK. 
• All boxes will be checked automatically.

·         Click on UPDATE SERVER NOW.  The new software will download first and then a replication will take place.

·         When the notice SERVER UPDATED SUCCESSFULLY appears, click on OK.  You may now use the QVF program.  (See the QVF Desktop Reference Manual, page 13-1 for more details.)

·         If your software update fails, please close the QVF Server Manager, reopen and restart the update.  If it fails more than 5 times, contact the QVF Helpdesk at 1-800-310-5697.

Please see the release notes below for highlights of the many significant changes to the software.  Basic instructions will follow later today or early tomorrow. 

·         Installed the new Region Selector on most modules. This offers more flexibility than the old County/Jurisdiction combo boxes, allowing users to explicitly select and work with regions of various types, including districts, rather than limiting the user to working with only counties and jurisdictions.

·         Installed new Precinct Selector on many modules. This offers more flexibility than the old precinct selectors, allowing the user in many cases to select which type of precinct they would like to work with, and also select among counting boards, combined precincts, and/or ballot styles.

·         Completely re-organized and re-implemented the district maintenance modules, among other things adding features that allow state users to assign district coordinators.

·         Added a new Election Dates module that allows the state to designate standard election dates as mandated by Election Consolidation laws.

·         Revised the Election Administration module, renaming it the Elections module, and adding support so it utilizes standard Election Dates.

·         Added Election Geography module that allows the users to define counting boards, combined precincts, ballot styles, and polling locations for each distinct geographic area of an election. This module displaces the old standalone Combined Precincts module that was previously available under the main Data Maintenance menu.

·         Added an Election Creation Wizard that allows state and county users to create local elections in mass.

·         Added initial/limited support for "mixed" elections, which are elections that can span a "mixture" of different regions of different types (jurisdictions, precincts, school districts, village districts, etc.) in just about any conceivable combination.

Change in Contact Person: Sherry Barrett has been the single point of contact for the Voting Equipment Purchase Process for the Bureau of Elections.  After December 16^th, 2005 Sherry will no longer work in the Bureau of Elections.  Debi Dechow will be taking over Sherry’s duties as the single point of contact.  Debi’s contact information is as follows:

Debi Dechow

Michigan Bureau of Elections

PO Box 20126

Lansing, MI  48901

517-335-2777

dechowd@michigan.gov