Process audits and validates the vote count
March 9, 2011

Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: David Tom, Elections Manager

(Redwood City, CA) On Friday, March 11 at 8:30 am, the San Mateo County Elections Office will begin its one percent manual tally of votes cast in the March 8 Brisbane School District Special Election. 

The one percent manual tally is a key procedure in the canvass of an election that takes place after Election Day and ensures the accuracy of the vote before the official results are certified.  The public is welcome to observe this process.

The one percent manual tally will be held at the Elections Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo.  Legally required by California law, the one percent manual tally takes place during the Official Canvass of the Vote, which begins after Election Day.  It must be finished within 28 days following an election.

“The canvass is the final step to the accountability of an election.  It substantiates the results and provides confirmation that the conduct of the election was proper,” said San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer Mark Church.  “It’s the part of an election that gives citizens, interested parties, and election officials full confidence in the results.”

 Official election results are not certified until the canvass is completed.  The one percent manual tally is an important part of the canvass; the results of the one percent manual tally must match exactly before the election results can be certified.

In order to begin the conduct of the one percent manual tally, precincts are selected with the roll of three ten-sided dice.  This produces a random selection of precincts.  The numbers that are rolled represent predetermined associations to precinct numbers.

“One precinct will undergo the one percent manual tally for the March 8 Special Election,” Church explained.  “The one percent manual tally will include votes cast by mail and votes cast at the polls on Election Day.”

To conduct the one percent manual tally, election officials will work in a four-member team, called a precinct board, to manually read, call out, record and tally votes.  The sounds coming from the one percent manual tally where the precinct boards conduct the tally resemble chanting.  Someone listening in will hear something like, “Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes” or “No, No, No, No” because this election asks voters a single question —whether or not to approve the renewal of a parcel tax for Brisbane School District.

After the one percent manual tally is completed, election results will be certified and made official by Church.  Results must be certified by April 5 and presented to the Brisbane School District Governing Board.  Church will publish the officially certified results, known as the Statement of the Vote, on the Elections website, www.shapethefuture.org once the Official Canvass is complete.


The press release is displayed in its original format. San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections website now resides at www.smcacre.org

Related Contacts

Mark Church

Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer
555 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665Get Directions
Phone:
650.363.4988

Jim Irizarry

Asst. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Asst. Chief Elections Officer
555 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665Get Directions
Phone:
650.363.4988