Bill > S3853

This bill revises procedures for post-election audits of voter-verifiable paper records in New Jersey, introducing two primary methods for conducting these audits: traditional hand-to-eye counts and new machine-based audits using independent third-party electronic machines. The bill requires the Secretary of State to appoint an independent, professional audit team each year to oversee audits in counties, covering federal, state, county, and municipal elections. Audits must be conducted in at least two percent of election districts, with specific exemptions for smaller elections. The audit team must include at least four members with expertise in statistics and auditing, and cannot include individuals with potential conflicts of interest, such as campaign staff or voting system employees. The bill establishes detailed procedures for selecting audit units, comparing electronic vote tallies with manual or machine counts, and addressing discrepancies. If significant discrepancies are found that could potentially alter election outcomes, the audit can be expanded. The bill also mandates that independent electronic machines used for audits must be tested and certified by national standards laboratories, and requires public transparency throughout the audit process, including publishing audit procedures and results. Importantly, no county can certify election results before the audit is completed and its results are published.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S3853