Primary definition
Chad refers to fragments sometimes created when holes are made in a paper, card or similar synthetic materials, such as punched cards. A "hanging chad" is a chad that is incompletely removed.
Also known asdangling chad · pregnant chad · swinging chad · tri-chad
— EAC Glossary of TermsView source
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EAC
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Chad refers to fragments sometimes created when holes are made in a paper, card or similar synthetic materials, such as punched cards. A "hanging chad" is a chad that is incompletely removed.
EAC Glossary of Terms · 2024
Cite this term
Permanent URL · stable across revisions
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Hanging Chads. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved September 3, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/hanging-chads
Sources
1 cited · last checked Aug 10, 2026
01
EAC Glossary of Terms
EAC Glossary of Terms
Single-source
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