Elections & terms
chain of custody
The documented trail showing who handled ballots and equipment, when, and under what seal. What makes an audit or recount meaningful.
In full
Chain of custody covers sealed ballot containers, numbered seals logged at each transfer, two-person rules for moving materials, and secured storage. Without it, a later count proves nothing about the original one. Breaks in custody, including unauthorized access to equipment, are treated seriously because they can make an election unauditable even when nothing was altered.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.