2019 Arkansas Code
Title 7 - Elections
Chapter 5 - Election Procedure Generally
Subchapter 3 - Conduct of Elections
§ 7-5-319. Recount
(a)
(1) Any candidate voted for who may be dissatisfied with the returns from any precinct shall have a recount of the votes cast therein upon the candidate's presenting the county board of election commissioners with a petition requesting the recount.
(2) When the number of outstanding absentee ballots of overseas voters is not sufficient to change the results of the election, the candidate must present the petition no later than two (2) days after the county board of election commissioners declares preliminary and unofficial results of the election, including a statement of the number of outstanding absentee ballots of overseas voters.
(3) When the number of outstanding absentee ballots of overseas voters is sufficient to potentially change the results of the election, the candidate must present the petition at any time before the county board of election commissioners finally completes the canvass of the returns of the election and certifies the result.
(b) At the time that the petition requesting the recount is presented, the county board of election commissioners shall provide to the candidate requesting the recount a copy of the test results on the voting machines and the electronic vote tabulating devices. Only one (1) recount per candidate per election shall be permitted. The county board of election commissioners shall certify the results of the last recount. The county board of election commissioners may upon its own motion conduct a recount of the returns from any or all precincts.
(c)
(1) For any recount of an election in which ballots are cast using a direct recording electronic voting machine with a voter-verified paper audit trail, the voter-verified paper audit trail shall serve as the official ballot to be recounted.
(2) The county board of election commissioners either may:
(A) Manually sum the total votes for each candidate involved in the recount that is printed on the voter-verified paper audit trail; or
(B) Count by hand the votes for each candidate involved in the recount as shown on the voter-verified paper audit trail.
(3) If the voter-verified paper audit trail is damaged or for some other reason is incapable of being used for a recount, the paper record produced by the machine for manual audit shall be the official ballot to be recounted.
(4) If the voting machine is exempt from the requirement to have a voter-verified paper audit trail and does not have one, the paper record produced by the machine for manual audit shall be the official ballot to be recounted.
(5) If the county board of election commissioners counts by hand the votes for each candidate involved in the recount, the county board of election commissioners may check the back of the ballot to see if the ballot has been initialed by an election official.
(d) For the recount of an election in which paper ballots are used, the county board of election commissioners shall open the package containing the ballots and recount the ballots in the manner prescribed by law for the count to be made by the election officials in the first instance, or if there is a determination by the county board of election commissioners that the voting machine or electronic vote tabulating device may be malfunctioning, it may recount the ballots by any manner prescribed by law.
(e) The result as found upon the recount, if it differs from that certified by the election officials, shall be included in the canvass as the vote for the particular precinct for which the recount was ordered and made.
(f) After the recount is completed, the ballots shall again be sealed and kept as provided by law.
(g)
(1) The costs for any recount must be borne by the candidate petitioning for it, and payment of the costs must be made to the county board of election commissioners prior to the recount in an amount determined by the county board of election commissioners.
(2) In the event that the outcome of the election is altered by recount, the costs of the recount shall be refunded to the candidate who petitioned for the recount.
(h) The costs of any recount shall be based on the actual costs incurred to conduct the recount, but in no instance shall the amount charged to conduct a recount exceed the rate of twenty-five cents (25¢) per vote cast in the precincts where the recount is requested or a total of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for the entire county, whichever is less.
(i) Within forty-eight (48) hours after a petition for recount is filed, the county board of election commissioners shall notify all candidates whose election could be affected by the outcome of the recount.
