Md. Code Regs. 33.08.05.06

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 24, December 2, 2024

Section 33.08.05.06 - Post-Election Audit - Precincts

A. Automated.

(1) For every precinct in an election, the State Administrator shall produce a report with the following information:

(a) The number of voters who were checked-in to vote as reported by the electronic pollbooks;

(b) The number of ballots cast as reported in the Election Management System; and

(c) The difference, if any, between the number of voters checked-in to vote and ballots cast.

(2) The election director shall conduct the audit procedures under §B of this regulation if the State Administrator's report indicates that the difference between the number of voters checked-in to vote and the number of ballots cast is five or more.

B. Manual.

(1) The election director shall conduct the audit procedures under this section for each precinct:

(a) Selected under Regulation .04 of this chapter; and

(b) Identified under §A of this regulation.

(2) For each precinct being audited, the election director shall:

(a) Hand count the signed voter authority cards associated with each voting unit in the precinct; and

(b) Compare the number of signed voter authority cards against the number of ballots cast as reported in the Election Management System.

(3) If the number of signed voter authority cards does not match the number of ballots cast, the election director shall:

(a) Review other election materials from the precinct to determine the cause of the difference; and

(b) Report to the State Administrator the explanation for the difference.

C. Notification. The election director shall report to the local board and the State Administrator the results of the audit.

D. Certifying the Election. If the audit demonstrates an unexplained discrepancy between the number of signed voter authority cards and the number of ballots cast and that discrepancy is:

(1) Less than the vote margin of any contest on the ballot in that precinct, the local board of canvassers shall accept the audit results and certify the election; or

(2) Greater than the vote margin of any contest on the ballot in that precinct, the local board of canvassers may not certify the election until any corrective actions required by the State Administrator are completed.

Md. Code Regs. 33.08.05.06

Regulations .06 adopted effective October 29, 2012 (39:21 Md. R. 1381); amended effective 43:4 Md. R. 335, eff.2/29/2016