One Hundred Percent Retabulation Audit and Voter Confidence

• In Event: Electoral Reform, Election Integrity and Confidence in Elections

Abstract

Over the past decade, post-election audits have become very popular, with over 45 states requiring some sort of post-election audit. These audits ensure that ballots are counted accurately and should increase voter confidence in the results. The type of audit used and legal requirements vary across states. In Florida, several counties perform a 100% independent electronic retabulation. We examine the 2022 Leon County, Florida, primary election cast vote records, ballot images, and double count audit codes to demonstrate the accuracy of machine counts. We also demonstrate how these audits and the ballot images can be used to educate voters on how to use paper ballots and to help voters understand voter intent laws. We use an experimental design to determine whether the ballot transparency from a second machine count influences voters' confidence in the accuracy that their ballot is counted as intended, their perception of the accuracy of vote tabulators, and their assessments of the value of post-election auditing.

Authors

• Lonna Rae Atkeson, Florida State University

• Lisa A. Bryant, California State University, Fresno

• Wendy L. Hansen, University of New Mexico

• Kenneth Mackie, Florida State University

• Eli McKown-Dawson, Florida State University

• Yimeng Li, Florida State University