Below is a list of Hand-Count Methods that we are tracking, some developed by us, most by others. We welcome the “better mousetrap!”, so if we’ve missed any, please let us know.
Each method we list must be Acceptable, and as quickly as we can, we’ll evaluate jurisdictions where the methods are Permissible (according to statute/code, which can be changed by the People, but not overnight), and we’ll indicate which methods we Recommend.
To be Acceptable, a method must be both 100% transparent (in real-time, and after the fact, e.g., through publicly available recorded video which shows the tallying and the ballots tallied), which no machine does/could achieve, and 100% accurate (a function of procedural reconciliation to catch and correct any error).
Acceptability is the Peoples’ standard. Permissibility is the States’.
To be Recommended by us, a method must be Acceptable, is likely to be Permissible, and is likely to be both efficient (time- and manpower-wise) and low-risk (e.g. doesn’t involve egregious ballot-handling, etc).
Acceptable Methods
State Statutes & Administrative Code (Permissibility)
| State | Statute | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IL | 10 ILCS, Act 5 § 1-9 Grace period, early, vote-by-mail, and provisional ballots are counted at election authorities’ central ballot counting location, not precincts. 10 ILCS, Act 5 § 5/24A-3 …Any such county board, board of county commissioners or board of election commissioners may contract for the tabulation of votes at a location outside its territorial jurisdiction when there is no suitable tabulating equipment available within its territorial jurisdiction. 10 ILCS, Act 5 § 5/24A-2/24B-2 …”Redundant count” means a verification of the original computer count by another count using compatible equipment or by hand as part of a discovery recount.” | 1) The IL Constitution recognizes that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed, that enumeration of certain rights cannot deny or disparage other rights retained by individual citizens, that the State must conduct elections to determine the consent of the governed, and that elections must be free and equal. 2) IL statutes neither prescribe nor prohibit hand-counting, but prescribe tabulation by use of equipment approved by the State Board of Elections (SBoE) and available within the jurisdiction. IL statute does identify circumstances (redundant count) whereby a hand-count of some number of ballots to “verify” “the original computer count” is permissible, but does not specify a method for the hand recount. It stands to reason but must be argued in a court that, if some method of hand-counting is both required and permissible in certain circumstances, then it must be permissible if no permissible “computer” is available to conduct the “original computer count. 3) IL statutes do not require voting systems be Federally tested or certified. 4) IL administrative code (Title 26, Ch I, Part 204, Section 204.55) does require all voting system vendors to submit all Computer Code associated with the voting system to be placed in escrow with the State Board of Elections (SBoE). No vendor has ever done this,* therefore every IL voting system has been approved by the SBoE in violation of IL code, and therefore in violation of IL statute (10 ILCS 5/Art. 24), and therefore the SBoE should be compelled to withdraw approval of all currently approved voting systems. * IL uses ES&S, DVS, HI, Unisyn, Premier voting systems; each of these systems uses components with commercial operating systems (OS), e.g. Windows Server, Windows, uClinux, etc. Most use Intel Xeon and I-x series central processing units (CPU) on the motherboards of voting system components (e.g. ES&S, DVS, HI, Unisyn) which also contain Intel active management technology (AMT) chipsets like vPro/ME, running the Minix OS. All Dell servers (used by ES&S and DVS for election management system (EMS) servers) embed integrated Dell Remote Access Controllers (iDRAC), which employ specific drivers, discrete basic input output system (BIOS) firmware, and software like Dell OpenManage. All of these systems use dozens or hundreds of firmware drivers for various components. Vendor-proprietary code is only a small subset of the total Computer Code on voting systems, but vendors have not been compelled to submit all code from the voting systems, nor has the SBoE, or any other party, evaluated it, and IL code, and therefore statute, has thus not been satisfied. |
More states will be added once their hand-count permissibility has been evaluated. If your state is not listed, our team has not finalized evaluating your state’s statutes as they pertain to hand-counting.
Ready to get moving?
You can check out The Missouri Method Train the Trainer Mastery Class here:
Calculate Hand Counting Needs and Expenses
This handy spreadsheet tool, created by Linda Rantz, will help you to calculate your state or county’s specific needs. Find out how many people you need, how many teams, the estimated costs, the approximate time required, the cost per ballot, and much more!
This versatile tool allows for quite a lot of customization depending on your local needs, budget, time available for counting, etc. Instructions and samples/examples are included right inside the spreadsheet.
Training Opportunities
Gold Standard Elections – York County GOP South Carolina
September 25 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm EDT
Want us to feature your hand-counting event? You can submit your event here.