§ 2-20-101 — Utilization of precinct-based optical scanners

(a) A county election commission may utilize precinct-based optical scanners. (b) As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Performance audit" means a review of the procedures followed to conduct the election; (2) "Precinct-based optical scanner" means an optical ballot scanner that is located in the precinct and into which optical scan voter-verified paper ballots, marked either by hand by the voter or with the assistance of a device, are inserted to count the voter verified paper ballot; (3) "Risk-limiting audit" means a protocol which checks a random sample of ballots chosen by statistical methods; (4) "Top race" means the presidential race, if the presidential race is on the ballot, or the governor's race, if the governor's race is on the ballot; (5) "Traditional audit" means a protocol which requires bipartisan teams of election officials to hand count a number of randomly chosen ballots; and (6) "Voter-verified paper ballot" means a permanent, individual paper ballot that is marked either manually by the voter or with the assistance of a device and verified by the voter as correctly reflecting the voter's intent, before the voter's vote is counted by the precinct-based optical scanner. (c) It is the intent of the general assembly that any county election commission utilizing a precinct-based optical scanner pursuant to this chapter shall comply in all respects with this chapter and federal law.

Legislative History

Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 965, s 1, eff. 5/2/2022. Acts 2008 , ch. 1108, §3; 2010 , ch. 612, §§2, 3; 2011 , ch. 301, § 1.