Diagram 3 — Certification & Post-Election Audit
Final steps after all ballots are counted
← Back to Systems & Vote Flow
STARTING POINT
County Canvass Complete
All results aggregated in county EMS
Voter count reconciled with ballot count
County submits results to state
STATE LEVEL — TYPICALLY 2–4 WEEKS POST-ELECTION
State Certification
Secretary of State (or Board) certifies official results
Any recounts or challenges resolved first
Certification is the legally binding official outcome
often runs
in parallel
MANDATORY IN MOST STATES
Post-Election Audit
Risk-Limiting Audit (RLA): statistical sample confirms winner
Hand count sample compares paper ballots to machine totals
If sample doesn't confirm result → more ballots pulled or full recount