1. A device that tabulates BALLOTS. An "automatic tabulator that is capable of DOCUMENT counting votes on ballots as they are deposited into the tabulator." Minn. Rules §8220.0250(3a). 2. A local in North Carolina responsible for counting BALLOT. N.C. Gen. ELECTION OFFICIAL Stat. §163-43.
What is ballot counter?
The term Ballot Counter refers to a person, mechanism, or device that counts ballots or vote selections and produces vote totals for an election contest or reporting unit. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.
How is ballot counter used to count votes?
Election officials use Ballot Counter to create, organize, verify, communicate, or reconcile information connected with a person, mechanism, or device that counts ballots or vote selections and produces vote totals for an election contest or reporting unit. Documented handling makes the record easier to check later and can support canvassing, auditing, certification, retention, or public reporting.
Why does ballot counter matter for election results?
Understanding Ballot Counter matters because election records and results need to be traceable, reviewable, and handled consistently. Here, the term refers to a person, mechanism, or device that counts ballots or vote selections and produces vote totals for an election contest or reporting unit.
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1. A device that tabulates BALLOTS. An "automatic tabulator that is capable of DOCUMENT counting votes on ballots as they are deposited into the tabulator." Minn. Rules §8220.0250(3a). 2. A local in North Carolina responsible for counting BALLOT. N.C. Gen. ELECTION OFFICIAL Stat. §163-43.
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Ballot Counter. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 21, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/ballot-counter
Sources
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High consensus
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Disputed
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High consensus
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