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For auditors

Auditing with the paper

Auditors don’t take the machines’ word for anything. They go back to the paper, pick ballots nobody could predict, and let the math say when they’re sure.

About 2 minutes · scroll to begin ↓
1

Download the official records.

Everything you need is public: the ballot lists, the ballot pictures, who voted, and the machine records.

Each file has a fingerprint, so you know it’s the exact version that was sealed at poll close.

Sample County · public records
  • Ballot lists, one per race8f31…a02c
  • Ballot pictures2c9e…77b1
  • Voter list & who voted7ac2…19d0
  • Machine records & fingerprintsb415…e03f
  • Reconciliation reports5d0a…c9e8
  • Seals from poll closee3b0…c442
2

Check every seal.

Before trusting a single number, confirm the records are signed by the machines that made them and haven’t changed since polls closed.

  • Signed by the machines that made them
    1,204 machines · every signature valid
  • Same version every watchdog saved
    37 watchdogs · all fingerprints identical
  • Nothing changed since polls closed
    Sealed 8:00 PM · still e3b0…c442
3

Roll dice in public.

The ballots to check are picked by ordinary dice, rolled in front of everyone. The rolls feed a published formula that picks ballot keys at random.

Nobody, not officials and not vendors, can choose which ballots get checked.

Public dice roll · 10 dice
⚃⚀⚅⚂⚁⚄⚅⚀⚂⚃
Seed
4163256713
Ballots picked to check
  • K7QM-9F2C-42E1
  • 3B8E-0D77-C1A9
  • E41A-6C03-F9D2
  • 06D3-F8B2-E5C1
  • …and 308 more
4

Pull the paper and compare.

Every paper ballot has its key printed on it, so each one matches exactly one entry on the public list. You hold the paper and read the marks with your own eyes.

Paper ballot
Sample Measure
Vote for one
  • Option A
  • Option B
  • Option C
KEY K7QM-9F2C-42E1
=
Public list entry
K7QM-9F2C-42E1
Option B
Reading the paper…
5

Stop when the math says you’re sure.

This is called a risk-limiting audit. You keep checking until there’s less than a 5% chance a wrong winner could slip past.

Find mismatches? Check more ballots, all the way to a full hand count if needed.

Confidence the winner is right0%
StartGoal: 95%
No mismatches
Stop at 312 ballots. Outcome confirmed.
Mismatches found
Check more, up to every ballot by hand.
6

Publish your report.

Your findings, the dice rolls, and every ballot you checked are posted for anyone to repeat. That’s what makes it an audit, and not just an opinion.

Audit report · Sample County
Outcome confirmed
Ballots checked
312
Mismatches
0
Risk limit
5%
Dice seed
4163256713
Signed by a team from both parties · posted with every ballot checked, so anyone can repeat it
The short version
  • ✓Every record you need is public and sealed at poll close.
  • ✓Ballots to check are picked by dice rolled in public, so nobody can steer the audit.
  • ✓Each paper ballot has its key printed on it, so it matches one exact entry.
  • ✓Problems mean checking more ballots, all the way to a full hand count.
Next · For do-it-yourselfersCheck the whole election yourself→