Post-Election Audit Members pictured above sitting from left, Kristina Kershner, Tina Moore, Devon McCleskey, Norma Tech, Lesley Harelson, Alminda Brundyn, Kenneth Holmes, Lori Hinojosa, Barbara Calef, Diane M. Toups, Allison Collins, Mary Wilhoit and standing Janet Michel. Photo by Naomi Maesta
LOS ALAMOS COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE News:
The Los Alamos County (LAC) Clerk’s Office has completed the required accuracy check (Post-Election Audit) of the tabulators used in the Nov. 3, 2020 General Election.
Various precincts, within counties throughout the State of New Mexico, were selected for the purpose of having the county clerk’s manually recount the votes directly from the paper ballots in the precincts selected for the following races:
1) U.S. President and Vice-President;
2) U.S. Senator;
3) U.S. Representative, District 2, and 4) NM Court of Appeals – Position 3.
Some of the counties selected will recount all races as noted above, while other counties will only recount some of the races noted above.
On Nov. 20, 2020, LAC was notified by the accounting firm of Robert J. Rivera, CPA, PC, that Precinct 11 was randomly selected for the voting system check with regard to the U.S. President and Vice-President; U.S. Senator; and NM Court of Appeals Position 3 races.
As required by law, Los Alamos County Clerk Gloria Maestas appointed election workers to serve on the post-election audit board (Board), and the post-election audit was conducted today, Nov. 30, in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building at 1000 Central Ave. in Los Alamos, New Mexico.
The Board consisted of Jan Michel, Mary Wilhoit, Tina Moore, Allison Collins, Alminda Brundyn, Barbara Calef, Devon McCleskey, Diane M. Toups, Kenneth Holmes, Kristina Kershner, Lesley Harelson, Lori Hinojosa and Norma Tech. Also in attendance were Clerk Maestas, Elections Manager Steve Fresquez, Chief Deputy Clerk Adrianna Ortiz and Senior Deputy Clerk Victoria Martinez.
The post-election audit uses a statistical method to check the accuracy of the vote tabulators used during the General Election by comparing a hand count of select precincts to the machine tabulated results.
During the post-election audit process the Board reviewed, hand-tallied and verified the accuracy of the results for Precinct 11, with regard to the U.S. President and Vice-President; U.S. Senator; and NM Court of Appeals Position 3 races, for the early, absentee and election day tabulators.
The post-election audit results proved to be an exact match between the machine tapes and the results hand-tallied. Clerk Maestas said, “verifying the totals tabulated by the machines against those hand-tallied by the board today is vital in ensuring the accuracy of elections and helping to restore public confidence in the process.”
These results will be sent to the accounting firm of Robert J. Rivera, CPA, PC, and the New Mexico Secretary of State as required by law. The results will be made available on the County Clerk webpage: www.losalamosnm.us/clerk. For more information, visit the Clerk’s website at www.losalamosnm.us/clerk or contact the office at 505.662.8010 or email at clerks@lacnm.us. Follow the Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office on Facebook + Instagram + Twitter.
