EDRIElection Dispute Resolution Index
How robust are mechanisms to resolve election disputes?
Dimensions
Contest
0.0% · 0/5| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONT.EDRI.1Standing enumeratedAre the parties with standing to contest an election (candidate, party, qualified voters of the precinct, AG, etc.) enumerated in statute? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus (FTS returned 0 candidates) — concept not codified in this jurisdiction's election statute. | no FTS match 2026-05-21 |
| CONT.EDRI.2Venue & jurisdictionIs the court of original jurisdiction for election contests specified by statute? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus (FTS returned 0 candidates) — concept not codified in this jurisdiction's election statute. | no FTS match 2026-05-21 |
| CONT.EDRI.3Filing deadlineIs the deadline for filing an election contest (days after certification, or after a defined event) specified by statute? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus (FTS returned 0 candidates) — concept not codified in this jurisdiction's election statute. | no FTS match 2026-05-21 |
| CONT.EDRI.4Standard of proof & evidenceAre the standard of proof and admissibility rules for election-contest evidence codified in statute? | 0/20.0% | No matching sections in corpus (FTS returned 0 candidates) — concept not codified in this jurisdiction's election statute. | no FTS match 2026-05-21 |
Recount
87.5% · 4/4| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| RECT.1Statutory recount procedureAre recount procedures (who counts, how, with what evidence) defined in statute, not regulation or administrative directive? | 1/1100.0% | § 2685 ('Conduct of recount') and § 2685a ('Procedure for recount') codify the recount procedure: ballots are stored sealed in the town clerk's vault until the recount, the board of civil authority breaks the seal, opens the container, and recounts 'in the same manner as the votes were counted on the day of the election.' § 2602c-2602m codify the parallel procedure for federal, statewide, and county recounts. Statutory recount procedure codified. | § view source 2026-05-21 |
| RECT.2Recount triggers enumeratedAre the triggers for an automatic or petition-based recount enumerated in statute (margin thresholds, sworn challenge, etc.)? | 1/1100.0% | § 2601 codifies an enumerated recount trigger: in an election for federal, statewide, county, or State Senate office, a losing candidate has the right to a recount 'if the difference between the number of votes cast for a winning candidate and the number of votes cast for a losing candidate is two percent or less of the total votes cast.' § 2688 codifies a parallel trigger — a registered voter may demand a recount on a public question decided by under a 5% margin. “if the difference between the number of votes cast for a winning candidate and the number of votes cast for a losing candidate is two percent or less of the total votes cast for all the candidates for an office” | § view source 2026-05-21 |
| RECT.3Recount cost allocationIs the cost of a petition-based recount allocated by statute (who pays under what outcome)? | 1/1100.0% | § 2602i codifies recount cost allocation: recount committee members and assistants are paid by the State at the juror per-diem rate, other necessary expenses are paid by the State through the Court Administrator's Office, and 'the Secretary of State shall bear the costs of recounts conducted under this subchapter.' Recount costs fall on the State, not the requesting candidate. | § view source 2026-05-21 |
| RECT.4Recount-finding effectAre the legal effects of a recount finding (binding, advisory, mandatory amendment) codified in statute? | 0.5/150.0% | § 2602d-2602e codify the recount's conduct — the county clerk reviews the official return, examines the checklist where the ballot and check-off counts differ, and counting teams hand-recount the ballots. The binding effect of the recount — a recount showing that a different candidate has the required votes results in that candidate being 'declared elected' (§ 2686) — is codified at the cross-referenced § 2686. | § view source 2026-05-21 |
Timing
25.0% · 1/2| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIME.1Certification deadline in statuteIs the certification deadline (when the result becomes 'official') set by statute, not by administrative discretion? | 0.5/150.0% | § 2663 codifies a 10-day certification deadline for a municipal clerk to certify a vote result to the Secretary of State (in the context of a legislative act that takes effect on municipal acceptance). The general canvass and issuance of certificates of election is codified at § 2592 (canvassing committees). A statutory certification deadline is codified, though the result-canvass timing is cross-referenced. | § view source 2026-05-21 |
| TIME.2Pre-certification stayDoes statute provide a mechanism to stay certification while a recount or contest is pending? | 0/10.0% | No section in the FTS-surfaced candidates satisfies this criterion. Best signal: § 2645a concerns a municipality's vote to suspend charter authority — unrelated. No mechanism to stay certification while a recount or contest is pending was surfaced for this datapoint. | § view source 2026-05-21 |