Logic and Accuracy Testing: A Fifty-State Review

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive review of pre-election logic and accuracy testing practices across all US states, highlighting variations, best practices, and opportunities for standardization to improve election integrity.

Contribution

It offers the first detailed analysis and scoring of state-level L&A testing practices, promoting more effective and transparent election validation methods.

Findings

All states require L&A testing before elections

Significant variation in testing scope and transparency

Identification of best practices and areas for improvement

Abstract

Pre-election logic and accuracy (L&A) testing is a process in which election officials validate the behavior of voting equipment by casting a known set of test ballots and confirming the expected results. Ideally, such testing can serve to detect certain forms of human error or fraud and help bolster voter confidence. We present the first detailed analysis of L&A testing practices across the United States. We find that while all states require L&A testing before every election, their implementations vary dramatically in scope, transparency, and rigorousness. We summarize each state's requirements and score them according to uniform criteria. We also highlight best practices and flag opportunities for improvement, in hopes of encouraging broader adoption of more effective L&A processes.