Iowa Audit Recounts 36,000 Ballots After Discovery of Omissions
Johnson County officials are auditing 36,000 absentee ballots after discovering 2,017 were omitted from unofficial election results.
Officials in Johnson County discovered approximately 2,017 absentee ballots were omitted from unofficial general election results. An election official identified the missing ballots on Thursday and notified the state, prompting Paul Pate, the Secretary of State of Iowa, to issue a directive for an audit of the Absentee and Special Voters Precinct.
The audit involves a full recount of all 36,000 absentee ballots in the county and is expected to conclude by Monday, Nov. 9. Secretary of State Paul Pate and Johnson County Auditor Julie Persons stated the discovery demonstrates that the state's election security checks and balances are working as designed.
Officials noted that the addition of these ballots is not expected to change the outcome of any race because election night results are unofficial. The official canvass results, which will include the previously uncounted ballots, are scheduled for publication on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
