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2008 SESSION

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SB 292 Optical scan tabulators; pilot programs for, audits thereof.

Introduced by: Mark R. Herring | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Elections; pilot programs to audit optical scan tabulators.  Authorizes the State Board of Elections to provide for pilot programs to audit optical scan tabulators in localities that choose to participate with respect to an election in which the margin between the top two candidates for each office on the ballot exceeds 10 percent.  The audit will take place only after results of the election have been certified and the time to initiate a recount has expired.  The audit may be used to test the accuracy of the tabulators and to evaluate the costs of, and procedures for, audits. 

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Elections; pilot programs to audit optical scan tabulators.  Authorizes the State Board of Elections to provide for pilot programs to audit optical scan tabulators in localities that choose to participate.  The audit will take place only after results of the election have been certified and the time to initiate a recount has expired.  The audit may be used to test the accuracy of the tabulators and to evaluate the costs of, and procedures for, audits. 

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Elections; recounts; random audits of optical scan tabulators.  Provides for a random audit of optical scan tabulators after each election to take place within 24 hours after initial vote counts are completed and before the election results are certified. The State Board of Elections will establish procedures for the audits, hand counts, and evaluating discrepancies between hand counts and tabulator tallies. The bill also requires that recount officials select a random sample of at least five percent of the optical scan tabulators used in the election being recounted and that the paper ballots counted by those tabulators be recounted by hand. If the hand count detects machine errors, then the recount officials may designate additional machines to hand count.