What are risk-limiting audits, and why are they important for election integrity?

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Risk-limiting audits are post-election checks that use a predefined risk limit to control how confident we must be before certifying a result. After ballots are tallied by machine, an RLA draws a random sample of ballots and compares them to the reported outcome. The math behind the audit ensures that if the reported winner is incorrect, the audit will, with probability at least equal to the defined risk limit, reveal the discrepancy and typically lead to a correction (by expanding the sample or triggering a full hand count). If the evidence from the sample aligns with the reported result, the audit can stop early with strong assurance that the outcome is correct.

This approach is important for election integrity because it provides verifiable, probability-based evidence that the final result is trustworthy. It balances the need for accuracy with practical resources, often requiring fewer hand counts than a full recount while still offering a clear mechanism to catch and fix incorrect outcomes, thereby boosting public confidence in the election process.