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Charlotte County board details ballot-weighing method for state Risk Limiting Audit, schedules selection Feb. 25
Summary
At a Feb. 22, 2021 meeting, the Charlotte County Electoral Board outlined a ballot-manifest method that uses precinct and pack weights to estimate ballot counts, noted bathroom scales were unreliable, scheduled ballot selection for Feb. 25, and adjourned unanimously.
The Charlotte County Electoral Board on Feb. 22 met at the Clerk of the Circuit Courts office to create a Ballot Manifest required by the state for a Risk Limiting Audit, Chairman Lawrence Clark said at the opening of the session.
The board heard a step-by-step explanation from Interim Registrar Eric Goode of how the manifest is produced: weigh all ballots for a precinct to get a total weight; divide that total weight by the precinct's total ballots to produce a key number; then multiply each ballot pack's weight by that key number to estimate the number of ballots in the pack. Goode illustrated the calculation with an example for "Precinct Z": total weight 6.4 pounds, total ballots 327, key number 51.9, and a 3.2-pound pack estimated at about 164 ballots.
Goode also announced that ballot selection for the audit will take place Thursday, Feb. 25 at 10:00 a.m. at the same location.
Board members and staff noted a limitation in the current process: ballot packs were weighed with bathroom scales, which the board agreed did not provide sufficiently accurate measurements. The meeting record says the need to acquire dedicated counting scales that provide more precise weights for future audits was discussed.
Ballot packs were weighed and labeled by audit-board member Jordan Morris as part of producing the manifest, the minutes state.
A motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the meeting ended with "all voted in favor," with those listed in attendance recorded as present. The docket recorded that the county notified the chairpersons for the Democratic and Republican parties of the meeting by email and phone, but both could not attend because of cleanup and repairs after a recent ice storm.
The board did not record additional motions or vote tallies beyond the unanimous adjournment; no other formal actions were listed in the meeting record.
