Glossary of Terms
This glossary of terms provides definitions for some of the key terms associated in the vote counting and election certification processes.
Much like an election itself, no two counties or states are the same, and the exact makeup of offices and flow of processes may differ. We attempt to offer raw terminology and sequencing of events that are consistent across states and counties. For further details, see individual state research memo.
Audit: An administrative process that provides an additional check on accuracy and also helps ensure election processes were properly followed. There are many different types of audits. Some are pre-certification, with the potential to influence the outcome of a race. Others are conducted post-certification in order to insure the overall integrity of the election system.
Ballot Duplication: When ballots are unable to be read by the scanner on a tabulation machine, but the intent of the voter is clear, the ballot must be duplicated (a formal process for making a copy).. so that the vote’s intent can be counted. Duplication methods vary state-to-state and sometimes county-to-county, but involve teams of at least two people (sometimes more), who usually must be from different parties. Typically one person reads out the voter's choice, while another copies it onto a blank ballot (labeled as a duplicate). The original and duplicate are carefully checked to ensure they match. The duplicate is then scanned to count the vote and both copies are retained.
Ballot Curing: The process by which a voter is able to correct some deficiency on their absentee or provisional ballot (such as a missing signature, lack of ID) so that it can be counted.
Ballot Types:
Regular: Ballot, paper or electronic, that is issued at a polling site on Election Day to a voter whose registration can be found in the system confirming they are authorized to vote in that election at that location.
Early/Absentee: Ballot that is cast before Election Day. This can happen in-person or by mail.
Provisional: Ballots that are cast in-person when the status of eligibility is in question (e.g., not registered at the polling place, identification is not provided). This allows election staff to do further research after election day to determine eligibility and ensures that the votes of all properly registered and eligible individuals are still counted. These ballots may also be called affidavit ballots.
Spoiling a ballot: A process for canceling a ballot so that it is not counted, usually at the request of the voter. For example, a voter might request to have their absentee ballot spoiled so they can vote in person at their precinct on election day or because it was damaged.
Board of Supervisors: The name in some states for the officials who form a board in each county to oversee that election process. In states that administer their elections at the county level they generally have broad authority to oversee election operations in their county and are often responsible for decisions like deciding polling place locations, establishing voting centers, appointing officials to oversee the processing of absentee ballots, and overseeing the county level canvass.
Canvass: The canvass is a term that is used somewhat differently in different states. Sometimes tabulation and canvassing, for example, are indistinguishable and sometimes they are separate processes. At a minimum, it usually involves reviewing vote totals from each precinct, vote center, and absentee vote count location, and adding these totals along with any write-in and provisional votes. Generally, there is also a review of other paperwork, such as poll-books and custody records, and a reconciliation process for any errors found throughout. This process happens before the election results are certified, though in some cases, certification is somewhat indistinguishable from approval of the canvass results.
Certification: The official process through which an election result is recorded and certified by the state. This process takes place after Election Day, and final certification is typically issued by the Secretary of State. In many states, certificates are also issued to the candidate with the most votes by elected members of the state after any recounts are completed.
Chain of Custody: The official, documented process of how ballots and election equipment are moved to and from necessary locations such as polling places, count centers, election offices, canvass locations and storage before and after an election.
No excuse Early Vote: A period prior to Election Day where people may vote in person for any reason. Early voting generally occurs at fewer and different locations than on Election Day.
Election Procedures Manual (Arizona): The legally binding process documentation that each county must follow in order to conduct a fair election. The Election Procedure Manual encompasses the electoral process from ballot creation to certification. The Arizona Secretary of State must update the document every two years and the Attorney General and Governor must approve. The EPM is a legal document and if there are process violations by a county in state or federal elections, violators may be prosecuted.
Election Protest (North Carolina): An objection, generally first filed with the County Board of Elections, claiming that there has been a violation of the law, misconduct, or other irregularity. If it relates to counting or tabulation it can delay the canvass.
Excuse-based Absentee Voting: Early in-person or mail-in voting that takes place before Election Day but requires justification for being unable to vote on Election Day (e.g., planned travel, illness, military service).
E-Poll Book: Digital copy of voter registration information, which may include name, address, signature, and party affiliation. Generally used to sign in voters at voting locations.
Hand-Count Sample Audit (sometimes hand-to-eye): In some states, there is a small, but statistically significant percentage of ballots that are hand-counted in order to ensure the accuracy of the voting and tabulation machines. Groups of ballots are selected at random and usually only one or two races on those ballots are hand-counted.
Polling Location: The physical location where a voter can cast their ballot in person during an early voting period or on Election Day. Some polling locations also serve as absentee ballot drop off locations.
Poll Worker: Individuals, typically paid workers, who are trained to run polling sites during early vote periods and on Election Day. Duties can include setting up ballot equipment, signing in voters and confirming their voter registration troubleshooting machine issues, etc.
Precincts: A portion of a town or county that contains a polling place for residents. There may be multiple precincts in a particular town, but there may not be multiple counties in one precinct. At times, more than one precinct may be served by a single polling location.
Precinct Voting: In-person voting that is limited to a geographic precinct – only available to people who live within the precinct may vote at that location. This is opposed to a voting center, where multiple precincts may feed into one central voting location, or multiple vote locations that service all precincts in the county .
Recount: This is a procedure that is typically triggered after the canvass but before the final certification by a state-level entity is issued. It mandates the votes be tallied again. In most states a recount is either mandatory, or required upon request of a candidate if the margin of votes is quite narrow (specified by statute). Boards of election or the Secretary of State sometimes have the power to order a recount under other circumstances, such as if they suspect irregularities. Additionally, in some states any elector (or a small group of electors) in the area can request a recount that must be granted so long as they pay a bond, though in some cases the state can charge them for the full cost of the recount if the outcome remains the same upon completion of the recount.
Recount counter petition (Michigan): In the context of a recount, a counter petition is what a Candidate A, who did not file an original recount petition for her race, can choose to file after opposing Candidate B petitions for a recount. The counter petition lists any precincts that were not included in Candidate B’s original recount petition, but which Candidate A wishes to be recounted in addition to the precincts listed in Candidate B’s recount petition. Note: a “counter petition is moot if the original petition requests that the entire district be recounted.” [Michigan Bureau of Elections, Elections Recount: Process Summary (rev. Aug. 2022) (“2022 Elections Recount”) at 5].
Recount petition objection (Michigan): A petition objection is filed when an opposing candidate objects to the recount petition as a whole (rather than simply wanting additional precincts to be recounted, as is the case with a counter recount petition).
Risk-limiting audit: An audit where the number of ballots to be examined is chosen by setting the level of risk you are willing to accept that the sample chosen may not be representative of all of the ballots cast, in advance of conducting the audit. That risk level then informs how many ballots should be sampled based on the total number of ballots cast in the election and the margin of victory of the race being audited.
Secretary of State: Elected statewide official that serves in the state executive branch and oversees all state records and critical procedures. In most, but not all, states the Secretary of State has a significant role in overseeing the election process, including the power to set guidance and sometimes can nominate other officials. In some states they are also directly involved in audits, recounts, statewide canvasses, and certification.
Signature Verification: Mail-in ballots are returned with the voter’s signature on the envelope. Some states have a process where they attempt to check that signature against the signature roster. This is a highly subjective process and, therefore, generally not good policy. For states that do signature matching, those ballots they verify as having been “matched” are then processed and counted. Others are rejected, though sometimes voters are contacted and provided with an opportunity to confirm their identity or signature. This process usually takes place by hand on a rolling basis as soon as ballots are returned, although some states have begun to implement software as the first line of review of signatures.
Snag Board (Arizona): A board made up of experienced election workers who troubleshoot and resolve issues when the other election officials and boards involved in counting ballots have difficulties. They are also responsible for examining ballots that can not be read by scanning equipment and where the intent of the voter is not immediately clear to determine if there is a, discernible vote.
Tabulation Equipment: Electronic equipment that is used to scan ballots, thereby counting the votes on the ballot, at polling places or election centers during the early vote period, or on Election Day. Tabulation of mail-in votes often extends past Election Day.
Tabulation: The process of counting ballots. The tabulation varies state to state. In some states, the tabulation of absentee ballots can start before Election Day though results can generally not be totaled and certainly non released until after polls close. There are multiple locations ballots can be tabulated:
On-site at the voting location: Each machine present at a polling site will generate a summary of all ballots processed on that machine
Absentee processing or count centers: Ballots are sometimes transported to a central location to be processed and tabulated
Election offices: Mailed in ballots are sometimes processed and tabulated at county or other election offices
Typically, summaries that are generated by each machine where in person voters cast either their vote electronically or fed their paper ballots into a scanner. These are added to totals from tabulation machines used to process mail-in ballots. Write in votes and any ballots that were hand-counted must then be added to these totals.
Write-in Vote: When a candidate or party is handwritten (or typed in by a voter) into the ballot. These votes generally cannot be machine read and, therefore, must be processed by hand.
Voter Registration Rolls: Voter rolls are the official state record (sometimes maintained at the county or city level) of everyone who is registered and eligible to vote. Information compiled includes name, address of residence, and in some cases party affiliation.
Vote Centers: Polling sites where in-person voting is not limited to a specific precinct and anyone registered in the area (generally county) can vote there. These sites typically only exist during early vote periods and for mail-in ballot drop off.