CO hand-count law

[Evan Daniel Ravitz <evan@xxxxxxxx>]

Folks, below is the Colorado law giving precise instructions for hand 
counting ballots. Note that it is some millions of times shorter than 
the code for windows, not even including Hart et al's code. It is 
bug-free and public.

The "hardware" that uses this law to count ballots is human beings, 
who, unlike the hardware running windows and Hart et al's code, are 
easily able to deal with power outages, misprints, warped paper, and 
even improvised ballots if official ballots run out.

Evan

1-7-307. Method of counting paper ballots.
Statute text

(1) The election judges shall first count the number of ballots in the 
box. If the ballots are found to exceed the number of names entered on 
each of the pollbooks, the election judges shall then examine the 
official endorsements. If, in the unanimous opinion of the judges, any 
of the ballots in excess of the number on the pollbooks are deemed not 
to bear the proper official endorsement, they shall be put into a 
separate pile and into a separate record, and a return of the votes in 
those ballots shall be made under the heading "excess ballots". When 
the ballots and the pollbooks agree, the judges shall proceed to count 
the votes.

(2) Each ballot shall be read and counted separately. Every name and 
all names of joint candidates separately marked as voted for on the 
ballot shall be read and an entry made on each of two accounting forms 
before any other ballot is counted. The entire number of ballots, 
excepting "excess ballots", shall be read, counted, and placed on the 
accounting forms in like manner. When all of the ballots, except 
"excess ballots", have been counted, the election judges shall post 
the votes from the accounting forms.

(3) When all the votes have been read and counted, the ballots shall 
be returned to the ballot box, the opening shall be carefully sealed, 
and the election judges shall place their initials on the seal. The 
cover shall then be locked and the ballot box delivered to the 
designated election official, as provided in section 1-7-701.

(4) All persons, except election judges and watchers, shall be 
excluded from the place where the ballot counting is being held until 
the count has been completed. History

Source: L. 92: Entire article R&RE, p. 741, § 9, effective January 1, 
1993. L. 93: (1) amended, p. 1421, § 75, effective July 1. Annotations

Editor's note: This section was contained in an article that was 
repealed and reenacted in 1980 and 1992. Provisions of this section, 
as it existed in 1992, are similar to those contained in 1-7-307 as 
said section existed in 1991, the year prior to the most recent repeal 
and reenactment of this article. Provisions of this section, as it 
existed in 1980, are similar to those contained in 1-5-112 as said 
section existed in 1979, the year prior to the first repeal and 
reenactment of this article. Annotations

Cross references: For the form of ballots, see §§ 1-5-407, 1-5-408, 
1-7-304 (1), and 1-7-503 (1); for improperly marked ballots, see § 
1-7-309; for penalty for divulging information concerning the count 
prior to 7:00 p.m., see § 1-13-718. Annotations


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