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Boulder County, CO – The public is invited to observe the Boulder County Election Division’s 2026 General Election risk-limiting audit (RLA) beginning on Tuesday, November 17, along with other post-election certification activities*, as detailed below.
While Boulder County and all Colorado counties have conducted post-election audits since 2005, a risk-limiting audit is the most highly regarded way to test the accuracy of election results. Colorado has been conducting risk-limiting audits since 2017 and was the first state in the nation to conduct a statewide version.
What: Boulder County Risk-Limiting Audit
When: Starting Tuesday, November 17 (see detailed schedule below)
Where: 1750 33rd Street in Boulder; Please complete this form to RSVP by 5 p.m. Mon, Nov 16
The risk-limiting audit is a test that helps ensure the accuracy of election results and provides the public with evidence that election outcomes reflect the votes cast by voters on their ballots. To ensure tabulation was accurate, the process reviews how a ballot’s votes were captured at the time it was processed by comparing a sample of paper ballots with digital tallies. To learn more about risk-limiting audits, see the Secretary of State’s Audit Center and FAQs on the RLA.
The software that facilitates the risk-limiting audit at the state level is open source, meaning anyone can examine the code themselves and other states are welcome to learn from or build upon it.
Detailed Schedule plus other activities and Canvass RSVP information:
- Monday, November 16 (in-person or online) – 10 a.m. – Secretary of State’s office provides high-level background on RLA and establishes random seed, which provides the basis for determining which random ballots to pull and audit. (about 15 min process). See Secretary of State notice for information / link.
- Tuesday, November 17 – 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. or until complete (Round 1) – Ballot pull and conduct the risk-limited audit.
- Wednesday, November 18 – 9 a.m. – until complete – continuation of the audit, if needed
- Thursday, November 19 – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Ballot pull and conduct the risk-limiting audit, Round 2 (if applicable)
- Tuesday, November 24 (online only) – 2 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. - Canvass Board meeting (final presentation and signoff of election) – During the meeting, staff presents data that provides evidence to certify the election. This includes voter registration changes during the election and election results including ballots received versus ballots counted, including mail ballots and in-person ballots. This data is also summarized in the Reconciliation Report. Complete this form to RSVP by 5 p.m. on Monday, November 23, to get link to view.
Complete risk-limiting audit details and data will be available on the Secretary of State’s Audit Center after the audit is complete.
The Boulder County Elections Division expects to post complete and official election results and related documentation at the end of the day on Tuesday, November 24, though the date is subject to change.
* Boulder County wants to ensure that everyone has equal access to our programs, activities, and services. To request an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accommodation, please email ADA@bouldercounty.gov, or call 303-441-1386. If you need help in another language, please email mwozniak@bouldercounty.gov or call 303-413-7766. For these events, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally 2-3 business day prior, so we may be able to schedule accommodations and/or an interpreter.
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