1. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

2. B. Terms Defined.

   1. (1) “Automated software audit” has the meaning stated in Election Law Article, §11-309, Annotated Code of Maryland.
   2. (2) “Ballot-level comparison audit” means a type of risk-limiting audit in which the local board examines voter selections on randomly selected individual paper ballots and compares them with corresponding cast vote records.
   3. (3) “Ballot polling audit” means a type of risk-limiting audit in which the local board examines voter selections on randomly selected ballots.
   4. (4) “Ballot manifest” means a detailed catalog prepared by the local board listing the batch label, number of ballots, and any other material required by the State Board as necessary to identify ballots for the risk-limiting audit.
   5. (5) “Batch” means a grouping of ballots by criteria determined by the State Board and individually stored in a ballot box.
   6. (6) “Batch comparison audit” means a type of risk-limiting audit in which the local board examines voter markings on randomly selected batches of ballots against the voting system counts.
   7. (7) “Batch label” means the uniform naming convention determined by the State Board that is used to identify the batch of ballots.
   8. (8) “Cast vote records” means an auditable document or electronic record that purports to reflect the selections a voter made on a ballot.
   9. (9) “Discrepancy” means the difference between the voting system results and the results of an automated or risk-limiting audit.
   10. (10) “Manual count” has the meaning stated in Election Law Article, §11-309, Annotated Code of Maryland.
   11. (11) “Precinct” includes an early voting center in Regulations .02—.06 of this chapter.
   12. (12) “Random seed” means a randomly generated number that is used to generate a random number sequence to select ballot cards or batches of ballot cards for audit.
   13. (13) “Risk limit” has the meaning stated in Election Law Article, §11-309, Annotated Code of Maryland.
   14. (14) “Risk-limiting audit” has the meaning stated in Election Law Article, §11-309, Annotated Code of Maryland.
   15. (15) “Risk-limiting audit software” means the software used by the State Board in order to conduct the risk-limiting audit.
   16. (16) “Voter-verifiable paper record” has the meaning stated in Election Law Article, §9-102, Annotated Code of Maryland.

Authority: Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4), 2-202(b), 9-403, 11-201, and 11-309(f), Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date:

Regulations .01—.04 adopted as an emergency provision effective March 1, 2000 (27:6 Md. R. 636); adopted permanently effective July 10, 2000 (27:13 Md. R. 1213)

Regulation .04B, F—H amended as an emergency provision effective July 3, 2002 (29:18 Md. R. 1440); amended permanently effective October 14, 2002 (29:20 Md. R. 1595)

Chapter recodified from COMAR 33.08.04 to COMAR 33.08.05 as an emergency provision effective October 4, 2004 (31:20 Md. R. 1483); recodified permanently effective January 6, 2005 (31:26 Md. R. 1868)

Regulations .01—.04 repealed and new Regulations .01—.06 adopted effective October 29, 2012 (39:21 Md. R. 1381)

Chapter revised effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1346)

Regulation .01 amended effective July 29, 2019 (46:15 Md. R. 656) effective January 13, 2020 (47:1 Md. R. 19)

Regulation .01B amended as an emergency provision effective October 2, 2020 (47:22 Md. R. 934); emergency provision expired effective March 30, 2021

Regulation .01B amended effective April 27, 2026 (53:8 Md. R. 356)

Regulation .04 amended effective December 23, 2013 (40:25 Md. R. 2073)

Regulation .04A amended effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 335)

Regulation .04A amended as an emergency provision effective October 2, 2020 (47:22 Md. R. 934); emergency provision expired effective March 30, 2021

Regulation .05 amended effective March 31, 2025 (52:5 Md. R. 268)

Regulation .05A, B amended effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 335)

Regulation .06 amended effective April 27, 2026 (53:8 Md. R. 356)

Regulation .06B amended effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 335)

Regulation .07B amended effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 335)

Regulation .08 adopted effective July 29, 2019 (46:15 Md. R. 656)

Regulation .08 amended effective April 27, 2026 (53:8 Md. R. 356)

Regulation .09 adopted effective July 29, 2019 (46:15 Md. R. 656)

Regulation .09 amended effective January 13, 2020 (47:1 Md. R. 19)

Regulation .09 repealed effective April 27, 2026 (53:8 Md. R. 356)

Regulation .09 adopted effective April 27, 2026 (53:8 Md. R. 356)

Regulation .10 adopted effective July 29, 2019 (46:15 Md. R. 656)

Regulation .10 amended effective January 13, 2020 (47:1 Md. R. 19)