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Officials explain "voter intent" rules and why some hand counts differ from tabulators
Summary
Elections staff and the clerk explained that machines require filled bubbles to read ballots, while hand boards can interpret circled names or marks as voter intent; statute requires canvassers to make every effort to discern voter intent.
Elections staff walked the board through why some ballots shifted in the recount, explaining that tabulators require a filled bubble while hand-count boards can interpret a circled name or other markings as voter intent. Staff said circled names or check marks will register as undervotes to a machine but can be counted by a bipartisan hand-count board as the voter's intent.
The clerk told the board that "statutorily, the canvasser ... would determine the voter intent" and that the law requires every effort be made to discern a voter's intention. Board members asked questions about how batches of ballots were recounted and staff described situations where bipartisan teams had to recount the same batch multiple times before reaching agreement.
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