Minnesota Law on Optical-Scan Ballot recounts?

[Eric J in MN]

Do they automatically recount some of the optical-scan ballots in Minnesota to make sure the scanners were programmed correctly?

[jean]

1. scarletwoman had some info on this ... I think she said a certain

percentage of precincts go through a mandatory audit - not sure of the specifics though

[scarletwoman]

2. Hi Eric,

According to my state representative Bill Hilty (district 8A), who has been in the forefront of election issues -- including preventing the use of paperless touch-screen voting machines in Minnesota -- right now by law there are mandatory random hand counts of a certain percentage of optical scan votes.

I don't recall the exact percentage, but in the upcoming legislative session, he will be introducing a bill -- supported by both Dean Johnson in the state senate, and the house minority leader Matt Entenza -- that will mandate a greater number of random hand counts in precincts with optical scan machines.

As I posted on earlier threads on this issue, I'll do what I can to gather more information and post it here as I get it.

One other point; I'm pretty sure that in lots of small precincts in outstate Minnesota like mine, there are ONLY paper ballots, no machines at all. I served as an election judge this year (both primary and general elections), and we all just open the ballot boxes once the poll closes, and everybody helps count.

I'd count out one pile of ballots, and then 2 other people recount them, and we make sure we all come up with the same numbers. Then we all sign a sworn statement that we witnessed the count and that the totals are correct. Low tech works great!

sw