Ballot Bulletin:Triple Checking Election Results
Time for another #BallotBulletin, where we highlight various election security topics so that we are all better informed about the processes that ensure that our elections are fair, accessible, and secure. This week, let's dive into how election results are Triple Checked.
On election night, counties collect returns from their municipalities and post the unofficial results on their websites. Election results reported on election night are unofficial until any eligible provisional ballots are counted and all results are triple checked.
After the polls close, election officials go through a rigorous process to triple check the results at the municipal, county and state levels. Every vote cast is meticulously counted, verified and audited not once, not twice, but three times to ensure the utmost accuracy and reliability. It's normal for unofficial election results to change slightly as election officials conduct canvasses to ensure an accurate vote total while completing the certification process.
Election results become official after the chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission certifies the results. The canvass and certification of election results can take 30+ days to complete after the election. See the entire Ballot Bulletin series here. |