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Recent Reports

Post-Election Ballot Tabulation Audit - 2016 Primary Election Pilot Program Report

After the 2016 Primary Election, SBE conducted a pilot program to identify the most accurate and efficient way to verify the accuracy of election results. Three different audit methods - two manual and one automated - were tested in the pilot program. All three audits verified the accuracy of the election results, and the pilot program identified advantages and disadvantages of each audit method. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the individuals who led the pilot program issued this report.

During the 2013 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly required SBE to conduct four analysis and submit reports. See Chapters 157 and 158. This law required SBE to:

  • Conduct a detailed analysis of options and administrative requirements for extending early voting through the Sunday before election
  • Review the maximum wait times for Maryland voters in the 2010 and 2012 elections and identify the causes for wait times of more than 30 minutes and propose target maximum wait times for voters at early voting centers and polling places
  • Conduct an accessibility and usability evaluation of the online ballot marking tool to assess its accessibility and usability by voters with disabilities
  • Engage an independent consultant to study and make recommendations on improving the security of online delivery and marking of absentee ballots, the return and tabulation of absentee ballots that are delivered and marked electronically, online voter registration, and online absentee ballot applications.

During the 2014 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly required the collection of additional data on wait times for voters during the 2014 elections.

SBE contracted with the University of Baltimore to conduct the analysis on extending early voting, review maximum wait times, and conduct the usability and accessibility evaluation of the online ballot delivery system and write the required reports.

​Post-Election Ballot Tabulation Audit - 2016 Joint Chairman's Report

During the 2016 Legislative Session, the Maryland General Assembly requested that SBE conduct a post-election tabulation audit following the 2016 General Election using either the voter-verifiable paper records or electronic images of the voter-verifiable paper records and submit a report.  The legislature asked that the report include:
  1. Detailed description of the post-election tabulation audit performed after the 2016 General Election
  2. Manner in which the public was permitted to comment on the audit procedures before the audit, observe the audit, and comment on the conduct and results of the audit after the audit is complete
  3. Cause of any discrepancies revealed by the audit and how any discrepancies revealed by the audit were resolved
  4. Final results of the audit for each contest that is audited
  5. Calculated risk that the reported outcome of each audited contest is incorrect
  6. Cost of the audit
  7. If an audit is conducted using electronic images of voter-verifiable paper records, how the electronic images were used to validate the election results and why hand and eye inspection of actual voter-verified paper ballots is not necessary to reliably determine the intent of the voters
  8. How SBE plans to conduct post-election tabulation audits in future elections
On December 22, 2016, SBE submitted the requested report (PDF). 

Extending Early Voting through the Sunday before Election Day

The research team considered various options for updating voter registration lists if early voting extended through the Sunday before the election and consulted with election officials in other states that offer voting on the Sunday before election day.

Wait Times

The research team identified the causes of wait times and analyzed the deployment of voting equipment and related infrastructure and staff practices and procedures to determine what adjustments could be made to reduce wait times during early voting and on election day.

Accessibility and Usability Evaluation of the Online Ballot Delivery System

The research team recruited individuals with disabilities to use the online ballot delivery system and performed two rounds of testing. The first round was conducted in the University's user research lab, and the second round was conducted remotely with voters participating from a computer of their choice.

Security Analysis of Online Voter Services

SBE contracted with Unatek, Inc., a Maryland-based information technology and security firm, to conduct the security review of the online voter registration, online ballot delivery, and ballot duplication systems.