Bill > H876

This bill strengthens the post-election audit process in Massachusetts by modifying several key aspects of election law. The bill requires hand-counted audits for specific races in selected precincts after every biennial state election and regular state primary, including congressional, state legislative, and statewide races, with one additional race or ballot question chosen by random drawing. The audits must begin 15 days after the election, be conducted in full public view, and be completed before election returns are certified. The state secretary is tasked with overseeing the audit process, comparing hand-counted results with original vote tallies, and publishing detailed reports explaining any discrepancies within 30 days (with a potential supplemental report within 90 days). The bill also allows municipalities to conduct additional audits at their discretion and establishes a risk-limiting audit workgroup composed of election experts, government officials, and representatives from voting rights organizations. This workgroup is charged with investigating advanced audit methods, potentially conducting pilot audits, and submitting a comprehensive report with recommendations by July 31, 2027. Additionally, the bill extends certain election-related deadlines from 15 to 21 days, providing more time for thorough election verification.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H876