|
April 30, 2020
Jurisdictions With a May Election
For those having a May election, watch your email for a Special May News Update this afternoon.
 |
|
Presidential Primary Risk-Limiting Audit to be conducted the week of May 18 |
Last week, we shared process details regarding the Presidential Primary RLA. Most of the audit will begin on May 18 when the Bureau of Elections will generate a random number (generally done by rolling dice) to put in the software that will select the random ballots to be audited. By the afternoon, lists of ballots selected will be sent to county clerks for distribution to local clerks. Local clerks will have until noon, Thursday, May 21 to pull the selected ballots and report the votes to county clerks.
One task that has to be completed by May 13 is the completion of the ballot manifest. The ballot manifest is a task completed by the county with occasional input needed from local clerks. This includes local clerks who:
- utilized AVCBs and stored ballots in multiple containers
- utilized AVCBs and further separated ballots within the container (i.e. bundled and clearly labeled by precinct or batches)
- counted and secured provisional envelope ballots after the election
Creating a ballot manifest - should take an hour or less depending on the size of the county
Counties: To create a ballot manifest, you’ll simply open a spreadsheet program and create a spreadsheet with two columns. The first column, titled “Batch Name,” is for your container name and the second column, titled “Number of Ballots,” is where you indicate the number of ballots in each container. Counties that have piloted this process over the last year and a half have used their final canvass numbers to complete the spreadsheet. When you're finished, save the file as a .csv file.
From May 11 through the end of the day May 13, counties will need to upload their ballot manifest into the audit software (Arlo). Detailed instructions will be emailed to you when the system is ready. It will entail logging in (via a link), uploading the .csv file, and clicking upload.
Local clerks: As mentioned above, if you utilized an AVCB or counted provisional envelope ballots, the county will need to know how those ballots are stored in each container.
A short ballot manifest video and instructional document are available to assist you in this process. In addition, counties will be provided a direct email address for VotingWorks, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that BOE has partnered with to manage and support the entire audit. VotingWorks will also provide a video/call support line at specific times over the next two weeks to ensure counties are successful with the ballot manifest process.
|
