[CAVO] How Applied Mathematics Could Improve the Democratic Process

[Tim Mayer]

Audits and recounts...

So, audits (recounts really, in most instances), unfortunately, as
demonstrated in the most important recounts, can, and indeed have been,
historically stopped at their most crucial moments. Audits, even more so
than original tallies perhaps, are politically administered, rather than
mathematically. Even the notion that an audit is required reduces voter
confidence, especially if that audit is triggered by discovery of an
anomaly or suspicion of bad behavior. Voter confidence is the excuse used
often by politicians for limiting and ceasing audit activity.

We need to limit the risk of manipulation of voter intent at the first
count.

That being said, *routine* and *mandatory* risk-limiting audits are indeed,
in my view, the best audit procedure. If the audits are *standard operating
procedure*, that is, part of the first count, then voter confidence may
actually be increased and the risk of political interference reduced.

Risk-limiting auditing through use of alternative methods of counting are
indeed the best way to verify a result. But again, they must be *mandatory,
routine and determinative*. Determinative in that a discovered variation in
the two counts must be reconciled before an official count is certified.
When that occurs, then risk-limiting audits really are a part of the first
count, rather than a recount.

In my view...

Thank you,

Tim Mayer

On Wed, May 24, 2017 at 7:07 AM, Brent Turner <turnerbrentm at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Yes-- With the caveat that once reliant on audit..   you're into " botch
> :"
>
> On Wed, May 24, 2017 at 5:34 AM, Gilbert,Juan E <juan at ufl.edu> wrote:
>
>> FYI, this article discusses risk-limiting audits.
>>
>> https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/05/the-
>> low-tech-solution-to-americas-voting-problems/523782/
>>
>>
>> -—
>> Juan E. Gilbert, Ph.D.
>> Andrew Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor & Chair
>> Computer & Information Science & Engineering Department
>> Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
>> University of Florida
>> P.O. Box 116120
>> Gainesville, FL 32611
>> 352.562.0784 <(352)%20562-0784> (V)
>> 352.273.0738 <(352)%20273-0738> (F)
>> juan at ufl.edu
>> Twitter: @DrJuanGilbert
>> http://www.juangilbert.com/
>>
>>
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>
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