Senate committee approves bill requiring counties to preserve cast-vote records and audit logs

The Senate State Administration Committee on Feb. 7 advanced Senate Bill 494 as amended, a measure that would require expanded testing of voting systems after changes and preservation of electronic audit records used to verify tabulation.

Sponsor Sen. Theresa Manzella, R-Ravalli County, told the committee the bill “requires the election administrators to test voting systems whenever a new system is acquired or after any changes are made to the system, or if there's upgrades or repairs.”

The bill drew lengthy testimony from election integrity advocates, local election officials and technical experts. Dr. Walter Daugherty, introduced as an expert witness, described cast-vote records and audit logs and argued they are central to auditability and public confidence. “Auditability is fundamental because if you don't have a way of verifying that the results are…