ADVERTISEMENT

Capitol Notebook: Iowa expands post-election hand-count reviews

cigaretteman

HR King
May 29, 2001
77,113
58,286
113
Local elections officials will be required to perform hand-count reviews of two election results, instead of just one, under a new rule being implemented by the state’s top elections official.


Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced Tuesday that all 99 counties will be required to conduct a hand count audit in two races following the Nov. 8 election. Previously, officials were required to conduct an audit in one race.


For the governor’s election, one randomly selected precinct in each county will hand count those votes. Those tallies will be compared to ballot tabulators to ensure an accurate vote count.


Advertisement

The Secretary of State’s Office will announce an additional campaign and randomly selected precincts in each county for another hand-count audit.


“This is being done to ensure Iowans of the integrity of the vote,” Pate said in a news release. “Our post-election audits consistently match the ballot tabulators perfectly. Adding another race to the process gives greater protection, transparency and security to the process. We want Iowans to know their vote counts.”


Pate, a Republican, in recent months has been trying to tamp down voting misinformation and disinformation, even as some of it comes from members of his own party. Pate’s office has been producing statements, videos and other information, including a dedicated “myth vs. fact” website, which pushes back on lies and distorted facts about elections in Iowa.


Pate is up for re-election, and is being challenged by Democratic Linn County Auditor Joel Miller, who alleges Pate has not done enough to refute politicians who spread election falsehoods.

 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT