Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: David Tom, Deputy Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
(Redwood City, CA) On April 15, 2013, the San Mateo County Registration and Elections Division will begin its one percent manual tally of the votes cast in the April 9, 2013 Coastside Fire Protection District Special Recall Election. The One Percent Manual Tally is a key procedure in the canvass of an election that takes place after Election Day. This procedure is legally required under California law and takes place during the Official Canvass of the Vote. The official Canvass begins once the polls have closed on Election Day and must be finished within 28 days following an election. This process ensures the accuracy of the vote before the official results are certified.
“The manual tally substantiates the results and provides confirmation that the conduct of the election was proper. It is one of the final steps in the accountability of an election,” said San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer Mark Church. “It’s the part of an election that gives election officials, citizens and interested parties full confidence in the final results.”
Official election results will not be certified until the canvass is completed with the One Percent Manual Tally being an important part of the canvass. This process is expected to take approximately 2 days to complete. The Chief Elections Officer will certify and publish the official results no later than May 7, 2013.
In order to begin the conduct of the One Percent Manual Tally, precincts are selected for manual tally by using a random process that involves throwing three ten-sided dice where the resulting three numbers are matched to a pre-determined number that represents an active precinct number.
The One Percent Manual Tally, including the rolling of the dice, is a completely transparent process that the public is welcome to observe. Past observers have rolled the dice to help select the precincts.
The press release is displayed in its original format. San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections website now resides at www.smcacre.org