ASA Board Endorses
Election Auditing Principles
Steve Pierson, ASA Director of Science Policy
T
he ASA Board of Directors endorsed the statistical por- and advocates—with significant input from ASA members to help
tions of the Election Auditing Principles, a set of guide- the large number of states and counties implementing or consid-
lines for election officials implementing post-election ering post-election audits.
audits. The principles, reproduced below, were developed by the The Election Auditing Principles have nine principals with
Election Auditing Coalition—a loose-knit group of voting groups best practices for each. The board endorsed the three princi-
ples and their best practices viewed to be the most relevant to
ASA expertise.
ASA members worked closely with the executive editing com-
mittee of the principles leading up to the board’s consideration of
them. Macalester College statistics professor Victor Addona was
ASA Members Get Involved in
appointed a member of the executive editing committee in the
Election Integrity Issues at JSM
final weeks and devoted considerable time to ensure the statistical
soundness of the three principles. ASA members Arlene Ash, Mary
Batcher, David Marker, and Philip Stark also provided valuable
Three election-related sessions were held in Denver.
input to the vetting process.
Kathleen Frankovic of CBS News was one of the
“The ASA board’s endorsement of the statistical aspects of the
high-profile speakers at a late-breaking session (164)
Election Auditing Principles will reassure election officials that the
exploring the challenges of accurate election polls. technical aspects of the auditing guidelines are solid and robust,”
Two other sessions (217 and 460) explored aspects of
commented Mark Halvorson, founder and director of Citizens for
how statisticians and statistics can help improve the
Election Integrity Minnesota, lead organizer of the principles, and a
accuracy and conduct of an election.
member of the principles executive editing committee. “The input
of the ASA members has been invaluable. We appreciate their con-
Illustrating ASA members’ interest in election integrity
tributions and are pleased to have this endorsement, since ASA is
issues, dozens of attendees at these sessions signed
an independent authority on the statistics of auditing.”
up to be involved with ASA election integrity activities.
Peter Lachenbruch, president of the ASA, was pleased with the
board’s action. “I’m delighted that the ASA board endorsed the
Already, as a result of JSM activities, ASA members are
three auditing principles,” he said. “No other group can evaluate
working with voting groups in Colorado, Iowa, and
the merits of the post-election audit guidelines with the same thor-
Oregon, with broader involvement expected to follow. oughness and authority as ASA. Further, this collaboration reflects
the progress ASA is making in having our voice heard and our
The ASA has created an election integrity resource
expertise tapped.”
web page to help facilitate further involvement of ASA A post-election audit is a check of the accuracy of an election by
members: http://electionaudits.org. The page currently
comparing the official vote tally to a hand count of the paper record
focuses on election auditing issues.
for a sample of the voting units (voting machine, precinct, etc.) and
the subsequent resolution of any discrepancies. Post-election audits
can help reduce the threat of error or fraud and help improve the
running of an election.
6 AMSTAT NEWS OCTOBER 2008
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