Election Certification and Data
Each election the county's ballot tabulation system is tested at least twice. The first test is called a Logic and Accuracy Test and is conducted before the election. The second is a Random Batch Audit, conducted the day after Election Day. Election certification is performed by the Kitsap County Canvassing Board.
All meetings and tests are open to the public. The videos here are the most recent. Videos from previous elections can be found on the
Kitsap County Auditor YouTube page.
For a quick overview of the audits we perform during elections, watch this video.
Hash Testing
Each election the computers that tabulate ballots or serve as Accessible Voting Units are tested to ensure that nothing in the program has changed since its last use. This is called a "Hash Test." The following files are the results of the Hash testing completed for General Election 2023.
Logic and Accuracy Audit
Before actual ballots are tabulated, the tabulation system is tested for accuracy. Using vote totals provided by the Washington Secretary of State's Office, ballots are marked, scanned and then tabulated. Those totals are compared to the votes dictated by the Secretary of State's Office to make sure the tabulation system is counting ballots accurately. There is no internet access to the tabulation system. A
certificate verifying the tabulation system's accuracy is signed by elections officials and witnesses. This Logic and Accuracy Test was for the November 5, 2024 General Election.
Random Batch Audit Testing
On Election Day six batches of ballots are randomly selected to again test to make sure the tabulation system is counting ballots correctly. The test is conducted the day after Election Day. When there is at least one countywide race on the ballot, a countywide race must be selected. The test results are documented and recorded. These videos are from both days in the process for the November 5, 2024 General Election.
Election Canvassing and Certification
The day before election certification the Kitsap County Canvassing Board reviews ballots deemed to be signature no-matches, addresses ballot marking issues not resolved by elections workers and addresses other outstanding election issues. The election is certified the next day after the resolved ballot packets are opened and ballots tabulated. The videos below are the Canvassing Board Meetings of August 19 and 20 for the 2024 Primary.
Recounts
Recounts in a candidate race can be required under
RCW 29A.64 if the margin between the candidates is close enough, or if one is requested. A machine recount is required if the margin between two candidates is less than 2,000 votes and 0.5 percentage points. A hand recount is required if the margin is less than 150 votes and within 0.25 percentage points. A group of five residents can also request a recount, but must be willing to pay for it. The video below explains the process.
