With November’s election here, we’ve received a lot of interest in understanding the difference between audits and recounts. Audits and recounts are two different post-election processes, but both are designed to build confidence in our elections—they help demonstrate that the winner won and the loser lost.
Recount and audit laws vary by state but both processes involve examining paper ballots. Visit Verified Voting’s Audit Law Database and Recount Law Database (inherited in 2024 from our friends at Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota) to learn about a specific state’s laws, timelines, regulations, and procedures.
What is the difference between an audit and a recount?
A tabulation audit is a routine part of the post-election process designed to check whether ballots were counted accurately and happens regardless of the reported election results. A recount is performed in response to something that may have happened in a specific contest, such as a very close margin, and could be initiated automatically by statute or requested by candidates, voters, election officials, or interested parties. In most cases, the objective of a recount is to determine the outcome of a specific contest by counting all the ballots again.
How are ballots counted?
Best practices for audits include routinely examining a sample of paper ballots by hand to check the machine-tabulated results. Although some states recount ballots by hand, in most cases, recounts are conducted by re-scanning ballots and only manually examining the ballots that can’t be interpreted by the scanners.
How many ballots are examined?
A recount usually examines all ballots for a specific contest, and often allows the interested parties to challenge the interpretation of the voter’s intent. Audits can give confidence in the election outcome by examining only a fraction of the ballots. Many types of audits, including risk-limiting audits, call for examining an increasing number of ballots—even performing a full hand count—if discrepancies are identified that don’t provide adequate evidence to support the reported election outcome.
When do audits and recounts happen?
Audits and recounts are both post-election processes that happen after Election Day. The timing of when audits and recounts take place varies depending on the state. Audits usually begin several days after Election Day, as they often require time for contest and sample selection. Ideally, an audit happens prior to a recount and escalates to a full recount if discrepancies are found, which is why both processes are most effective when completed before the finalization of election results to ensure maximum confidence in outcomes. In our publication “Coordinating Audits and Recounts to Strengthen Election Verification,” co-authored with Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota, we also recommended that states enact well-integrated audit and recount laws, so that election officials have sufficient time to meet post-election deadlines.
If there is a recount, is an audit necessary?
A recount typically focuses on a specific contest. Audits, as a routine post-election practice, can give valuable information about other contests. Both audits and recounts can provide public scrutiny of our election processes and voting equipment and serve as important tools for safeguarding our elections.
Recounts that rescan ballots, even with a different machine, still rely on technology to count ballots. When a recount rescans the ballots, a supplemental hand-count audit is critical, even if not required by law, to ensure voting equipment is accurately interpreting voter selections. Some states have adopted this best practice as part of their recount procedures.
If there is not a recount, can audits help provide evidence that the election outcome was correct?
Yes! Routine tabulation audits are part of the continuous checks that election officials use to ensure that ballots are accurately counted. They also help identify unexpected issues that election officials can address before the results are certified.
Other essential election processes are routinely audited to ensure the election runs smoothly and fairly, including signature verification, voter rolls, chain of custody, and more.
Want to learn even more about audits and recounts?
Click to download the following resources: “Principles and Best Practices for Post-Election Audits” and “Recount Principles and Best Practices.”
A previous version of this blog was published by Verified Voting and Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota on November 18, 2020 here.