PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — As one of the final mandatory steps before consolidated election results are certified, the Peoria County Election Commission on Friday retabulated votes and voting machines from six precincts.
The Illinois State Board of Elections randomly selects five percent of election precincts in every jurisdiction. The results from those precincts are recounted and compared to Election Day results.
“It’s just a way to ensure that the tabulation system is working the same as it did on election night, and we’re verifying that the votes were cast and counted correctly,” said Elizabeth Gannon, executive director of Peoria County Election Commission.
Five percent of early voting devices are retabulated as well.
“So of that, one device was chosen by ISBE and we will retabulate all of the ballots that were scanned from that device,” said Gannon.
Gannon said the process also improves confidence in election results.
“This process is important just to prove the integrity of the election. Just to prove the voting equipment, the voting system, the voting software that we use is accurate and can be trusted. And this is a way to show that yet again. We show it before our election through our public test and then we show it again through our retabulation after the election,” she said.
The five percent retabulation is required by law in every jurisdiction.
The final results will be certified April 18.
