How do election officials make sure ballots aren’t lost?
Election officials keep careful track of every ballot printed for each election. During a general election, millions of ballots across the country are printed. Most ballots are used to cast votes, but some ballots end up unused. Each jurisdiction keeps a record of which authorized person has ballots at all times—called chain of custody—and checks to make sure that all validly cast ballots have been counted.
Ballot reconciliation
Throughout the election, officials in each jurisdiction track every ballot that is printed or issued, including used and unused ballots. After the election, officials make sure that the number of ballots cast in a jurisdiction equals the number of ballots that were counted. The reconciliation process helps ensure that all valid votes are counted.
From pre-election printing to post-election storage, ballots are transported and stored according to secure and documented chain of custody procedures.
Chain of custody
Election officials follow strict procedures to securely transport and store all election materials, including ballots. These procedures and the documentation for each step are referred to as chain of custody. Chain of custody ensures that election officials always know where election materials are, and which authorized personnel are handling them at any given time. Ballots are always accounted for, from when they are printed to when they are cast to when they are counted to when they are archived.
Specific chain of custody procedures and requirements for ballots differ by jurisdiction, but generally include documentation of locations, timestamps, and personnel related to their transport and storage. Chain of custody documentation may include paper logs, witness signatures, and other safeguards like tamper-evident seals and locks.
For additional information:
- Center for Internet Security, “Chain of Custody is Crucial for Election Offices”
- Elections Group, “Chain of Custody”
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission, “Best Practices: Chain of Custody”
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission, “Ballot Reconciliation: Election Day”
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission, “Guide to the Canvass”