Voter-verifiable paper audit trails or records are the paper trails contemporaneously printed by DRE voting machines that display to the voter a hard copy record of the voter's selections. Sighted voters may use the paper records to verify that the machine correctly recorded a hard copy of his or her selections before casting the ballot. In some states, the voter-verifiable paper record is the legal ballot in a recount situation (e.g., California), taking precedence over electronic counts. Visually impaired voters currently cannot verify a hard copy of their votes when VVPATs are used. VVPAT printers do not currently include optical character recognition (OCR) readouts or other means of non-visual verification of the information printed on the VVPAT. The only way a visually impaired voter can currently verify a paper copy of the ballot through the use of technology, which allows such a voter to vote privately and independently, is by using an accessible ballot marking device to mark the ballot that also enables audio read-back of the voter's choices from the printed or marked ballot.
What does VVPAT stand for?
VVPAT stands for voter-verifiable paper audit trail. It is a paper record generated alongside an electronic voting process so the voter can review the selections before the vote is finalized. The retained paper can then provide an independent physical record for post-election audits, recounts, or other verification procedures.
How does a VVPAT work?
A VVPAT system creates a human-readable paper record of the selections recorded electronically and lets the voter inspect that record before casting. The paper is then retained securely by election officials rather than taken away as proof of vote. Procedures determine how the paper record is stored, audited, and reconciled.
Why is a voter-verifiable paper audit trail useful?
A voter-verifiable paper audit trail is useful because it provides evidence outside the voting system's electronic memory. If electronic records are questioned or audited, officials can examine the voter-verified paper under approved procedures. Its value depends on secure storage, chain of custody, audit rules, and whether voters can effectively verify the record.
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Voter-verifiable paper audit trails or records are the paper trails contemporaneously printed by DRE voting machines that display to the voter a hard copy record of the voter's selections. Sighted voters may use the paper records to verify that the machine correctly recorded a hard copy of his or her selections before casting the ballot. In some states, the voter-verifiable paper record is the legal ballot in a recount situation (e.g., California), taking precedence over electronic counts. Visually impaired voters currently cannot verify a hard copy of their votes when VVPATs are used. VVPAT printers do not currently include optical character recognition (OCR) readouts or other means of non-visual verification of the information printed on the VVPAT. The only way a visually impaired voter can currently verify a paper copy of the ballot through the use of technology, which allows such a voter to vote privately and independently, is by using an accessible ballot marking device to mark the ballot that also enables audio read-back of the voter's choices from the printed or marked ballot.
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (vvpat). In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 20, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/voter-verifiable-paper-audit-trail-vvpat
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