Montana § 13-17-507 Discrepancies -- Substitution Of Results -- Examination Of Machines

Montana Statutes

§ 13-17-507 — Discrepancies -- Substitution Of Results -- Examination Of Machines

Montana § 13-17-507

Title 13ELECTIONS

Ch. 17VOTING SYSTEMS

Part 5Postelection Audit

This text of Montana § 13-17-507 (Discrepancies -- Substitution Of Results -- Examination Of Machines) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Mont. Code Ann. § 13-17-507 (2026).

Text

13-17-507 . Discrepancies -- substitution of results -- examination of machines.

(1)If a discrepancy exists between the vote-counting machine totals and the manual count totals, the random-sample audit results must serve as the definitive record for purposes of the canvass.

(2)If the random-sample audit results in a discrepancy of more than 0.5% of total ballots cast or five ballots, whichever is greater, and if the discrepancy is determined to be due to the vote-counting machine and not to administrative or user error:

(a)the vote-counting machine involved in the discrepancy in that county may not be used in another election until it has been examined and tested by a computer software expert in consultation with a voting system vendor and approved by the secretary of state; and

(b)at

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13-17-507 . Discrepancies -- substitution of results -- examination of machines. (1) If a discrepancy exists between the vote-counting machine totals and the manual count totals, the random-sample audit results must serve as the definitive record for purposes of the canvass.
(2) If the random-sample audit results in a discrepancy of more than 0.5% of total ballots cast or five ballots, whichever is greater, and if the discrepancy is determined to be due to the vote-counting machine and not to administrative or user error:
(a) the vote-counting machine involved in the discrepancy in that county may not be used in another election until it has been examined and tested by a computer software expert in consultation with a voting system vendor and approved by the secretary of state; and
(b) at least three additional precincts within the county must be audited for the office or ballot issue in question. If the county has fewer than three additional precincts, all remaining precincts must be audited.
(3) If the audit of the additional precincts results in a discrepancy for those precincts of more than 0.5% of total ballots cast or five ballots, whichever is greater, and if the discrepancy is determined to be due to the vote-counting machine and not to administrative or user error, the vote-counting machine involved in the discrepancy in that county may not be used in another election until it has been examined and tested by a computer software expert in consultation with a voting system vendor and approved by the secretary of state.
(4) The results of the random-sample audit must be public.