NOVEMBER 22, 2024:
The November 2024 general election was the second time counties in South Dakota had to conduct a post-election audit, with the first being following the June 2024 primary election.
Stanley County did its audit yesterday (Nov. 21, 2024) at the courthouse in Fort Pierre. Auditor Phil Burtch says the audit board hand counted the Public Utilities Commission race and the Constitutional Amendment F ballot issue results from Precinct 3. She says there were zero discrepancies and everything balanced.
Hughes County held its post-election audit Tuesday (Nov. 19, 2024). Finance Officer Thomas Oliva says they reviewed the results of the U.S. Representative race and the Amendment G ballot issue from the Blunt and Harrold vote centers. There was a minor discrepancy, but Oliva says it was within the allowable margin of error.
Post-election audits are meant to check the accuracy of the electronic voting machine tabulators and must be conducted within 15 days of the completion of the state canvassing of a primary or general election. During an audit, voted ballots from 5% of the precincts in each county– randomly selected by the county auditor in front of the county canvassing board without the use of a computer– are hand counted. Those results are compared to the results produced by the automatic tabulating equipment that was used in the election.
NOVEMBER 19, 2024, UPDATE:
There was a minor discrepancy, but overall, Hughes County Finance Officer Thomas Oliva says Tuesday’s (Nov. 19, 2024) post election audit reviewed the results for one race and one ballot issue from two different vote centers.
Oliva says overall, the 2024 general election audit went smoothly.
Oliva explains what an express ballot is….
Stanley County will hold its post-election audit Thursday at 9am CT at the courthouse in Fort Pierre. Auditor Phil Burtch says they will audit the Public Utilities Commissioner race and the Constitutional Amendment F ballot issue results from Precinct 3.
.
NOVEMBER 19, 2024:
The ballots have been counted and canvassed, so the Nov. 5, 2024, general election results in South Dakota are official. Now the Secretary of State’s Office and each individual county auditor’s office is conducting an audit of election results.
Finance Officer Thomas Oliva says Hughes County is doing its audit this morning (Nov. 19, 2024).
Post-election audits are meant to check the accuracy of the electronic voting machine tabulators and must be conducted within 15 days of the completion of the state canvassing of a primary or general election. During an audit, voted ballots from 5% of the precincts in each county– randomly selected by the county auditor in front of the county canvassing board without the use of a computer– are hand counted. Those results are compared to the results produced by the automatic tabulating equipment that was used in the election.
For the June 2024 primary election, of the state’s 66 counties, the tally shows 52 had no discrepancies, 10 didn’t need to do an audit because they had close races requiring a recount, 3 counties had 1 discrepancy and Minnehaha had 2 or more discrepancies.
Comments