Iowa Code § 50.50
Administrative audits
Redline — January 1, 2012 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2026
As of January 1, 2012
The commissioner who was responsible for conducting an election may request an administrative recount when the commissioner suspects that voting equipment used in the election malfunctioned or that programming errors may have affected the outcome of the election, or if the precinct election officials report counting errors to the commissioner after the conclusion of the canvass of votes in the precinct. An administrative recount shall be conducted by the board of the special precinct established by section 53.23. Bond shall not be required for an administrative recount. The state commissioner may adopt rules for administrative recounts.
1. The commissioner who was responsible for conducting an election may request an administrative audit when the commissioner is informed or suspects that voting equipment used in the election malfunctioned or that programming errors may have affected the outcome of the election, or if the precinct election officials report counting errors to the commissioner after the conclusion of the canvass of votes in the precinct. An administrative audit shall be conducted by the board of the special precinct established by section 53.23. The state commissioner may adopt rules for administrative audits.
If the recount board finds that there is an error in the programming of any voting equipment which may have affected the outcome of the election for any office or public measure on the ballot, the recount board shall describe the errors in its report to the commissioner. The commissioner shall notify the board of supervisors. The supervisors shall determine whether to order an administrative recount for any or all of the offices and public measures on the ballot.
2. Each political party, as defined in section 43.2, may appoint up to five observers to witness an audit conducted pursuant to this section. The observers shall be appointed by the county chairperson or, if the county chairperson fails to make an appointment, by the state chairperson. However, if either or both political parties fail to appoint an observer, the board may continue with the proceedings.
97 Acts, ch 170, §59; 2002 Acts, ch 1134, §49, 115
97 Acts, ch 170, §59; 2002 Acts, ch 1134, §49, 115; 2025 Acts, ch 122, §14
Referred to in
Section amended
Official source: Iowa Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain Iowa statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.