For second time Carter Center will observe Georgia's risk limiting audit

The Carter Center first dispatched its nonpartisan election observers to U.S. elections in 2020, and the Secretary of State’s office has invited them back to monitor the verification of the November 8 midterm election.

The Carter Center has a long track record of observing elections and promoting democracy abroad but has recently turned its attention U.S. elections amid growing mistrust and declining confidence in the country’s voting systems.

The Carter Center first dispatched its nonpartisan election observers to U.S. elections in 2020, and the Secretary of State’s office has invited them back to monitor the verification of the November 8 midterm election.

Georgia law requires the secretary of state’s office to pick one race and make sure enough ballots are checked to statistically prove the votes were counted correctly.

Right now, state elections officials are double-checking last week’s vote in the secretary of state’s race by randomly selecting batches of ballots to recount.

It’s called a “Risk Limiting Audit,” and observers from the Carter Center’s Democracy Program will silently monitor the process by sending 50 observers out to the election offices where counting is taking place.

The observers will keep notes and after the audit the Carter Center will release a report detailing what went well, and maybe, what didn’t.

David Carroll directs the Democracy Program and he joined WABE’s Jim Burress to talk about the process.