This bill mandates that a machine count verification be conducted at the request of 10 registered voters in a city, town, or municipality that uses electronic ballot counting devices. The request must be submitted in writing before 10:00 a.m. on election day and must specify two particular elections to be verified. The verification process will compare the physical ballots cast for two candidates in two different races against the results reported by the electronic voting machine. If the verification shows a deviation of more than plus or minus 0.2 percent from the machine count, a hand count of all races on the ballot will be required.

The bill amends RSA 659:63 to include new provisions regarding the machine count verification process, specifically inserting language that outlines the conditions under which the verification must occur and the consequences of any discrepancies found. The existing language regarding the public nature of vote counting and tabulation remains intact, with no deletions noted in the bill. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 659:63