Bill > SB0943

This bill mandates that after every primary and general election, the Secretary of State shall conduct audits of election precincts to ensure compliance with election laws. These audits, which will include a hand tally of at least one race in randomly selected precincts, are designed to verify election results. The bill specifies that a certain percentage of precincts, or a minimum of three, will be selected for these tabulation audits, with a particular focus on presidential contests during presidential elections. The results of these audits must be compared to the initial election returns, and if discrepancies are found that cannot be resolved, additional audits may be required before the official election results are certified by the board of county canvassers. The bill also clarifies that county clerks who have ties to political parties cannot oversee these audits and must appoint a designee, who also cannot have such ties. The Secretary of State will supervise these audits, and county clerks must report audit results to the Secretary of State and the board of county canvassers within 20 days of the audit. The certification of election results by the board of county canvassers will now incorporate the findings of these tabulation audits.