Voter-verified PAPER TRAIL. Abbreviated VVPAT. A "contemporaneous paper record of a ballot prin ted for the voter to confirm his or her votes before the voter casts his or her ballot that: (A) Allows the voter to verify the voter-verifie d paper audit trail before the casting of the voter's ballot; (B) Is not retained by the voter; (C) Does not contain individual voter information; (D) Is produced on paper that is sturdy, clean, and resistant to degradation; and (E) Is readable in a manner that makes the voter's ballot choices obvious to the voter without the use of computer or electronic code." Ark. Code §7-1-101(26). VVPATs differ widely based on how the paper r ecord is created, exposed to the voter and stored. The paper may be fed reel-to-reel (also referred to as
What does VVPAT stand for?
The term Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail refers to a voter-verified paper audit trail that lets a voter review a paper record of electronic selections and gives election officials a physical record for audits or recounts. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.
How does a voter-verified paper audit trail work?
In practice, Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail is applied to the technical or security purpose captured by its definition: a voter-verified paper audit trail that lets a voter review a paper record of electronic selections and gives election officials a physical record for audits or recounts.
Why is VVPAT useful for election audits?
Understanding Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail matters because the concept can affect security, reliability, auditability, or trusted operation. In this glossary context, it refers to a voter-verified paper audit trail that lets a voter review a paper record of electronic selections and gives election officials a physical record for audits or recounts.
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Voter-verified PAPER TRAIL. Abbreviated VVPAT. A "contemporaneous paper record of a ballot prin ted for the voter to confirm his or her votes before the voter casts his or her ballot that: (A) Allows the voter to verify the voter-verifie d paper audit trail before the casting of the voter's ballot; (B) Is not retained by the voter; (C) Does not contain individual voter information; (D) Is produced on paper that is sturdy, clean, and resistant to degradation; and (E) Is readable in a manner that makes the voter's ballot choices obvious to the voter without the use of computer or electronic code." Ark. Code §7-1-101(26). VVPATs differ widely based on how the paper r ecord is created, exposed to the voter and stored. The paper may be fed reel-to-reel (also referred to as
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 20, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/voter-verified-paper-audit-trail
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