Signed by Governor Kristi Noem

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires ballots be audited within 15 days following a primary or general election.

Highlights:

• Requires that within fifteen days following the completion of canvassing for the state’s primary or general election an auditor shall conduct a post election audit of all ballots cast in the election (Sec. 1). 

• Specifies that the members of the county auditing board may not be members of one political party (Sec. 1).  

• Establishes that the state board of elections shall set the rules about the oath the county auditing board must take prior to discharging of duties (Sec. 1). 

• Requires the office of the secretary of state to reimburse each county for the cost of any post election audit (Sec. 2).

• Requires the post-election audit to be conducted in five percent of the precincts in the county by manually counting all votes cast in two contests and comparing the results of the manual count to the results for those precincts at the county canvass (Sec. 3). 

• Specifies the county auditor shall select the contests for audit at random without usage of a computer (Sec. 3). 

• Specifies that a post-election audit shall be conducted with access to the general public at a reasonable distance (Sec. 4). 

• Specifies that the county auditor shall send the results of the audit to the secretary of state for the secretary to publish afterwards (Sec. 5). 

• Specifies that if there is a discrepancy greater than the margin allowed, the candidates for office will receive notifications and they may file a petition (Sec. 6). 

• Specifies that any county required to do a recount will not have to go through this process (Sec. 7). 

• Requires the county auditor to reseal and retain the ballots upon the completion of a post-election audit (Sec. 8).

Full Bill Text