{"data":{"id":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-2-20-101","jurisdiction":"us-tn","citation":"Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-20-101","heading":"Utilization of precinct-based optical scanners","body":"(a) A county election commission may utilize precinct-based optical scanners. (b) As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) \"Performance audit\" means a review of the procedures followed to conduct the election; (2) \"Precinct-based optical scanner\" means an optical ballot scanner that is located in the precinct and into which optical scan voter-verified paper ballots, marked either by hand by the voter or with the assistance of a device, are inserted to count the voter verified paper ballot; (3) \"Risk-limiting audit\" means a protocol which checks a random sample of ballots chosen by statistical methods; (4) \"Top race\" means the presidential race, if the presidential race is on the ballot, or the governor's race, if the governor's race is on the ballot; (5) \"Traditional audit\" means a protocol which requires bipartisan teams of election officials to hand count a number of randomly chosen ballots; and (6) \"Voter-verified paper ballot\" means a permanent, individual paper ballot that is marked either manually by the voter or with the assistance of a device and verified by the voter as correctly reflecting the voter's intent, before the voter's vote is counted by the precinct-based optical scanner. (c) It is the intent of the general assembly that any county election commission utilizing a precinct-based optical scanner pursuant to this chapter shall comply in all respects with this chapter and federal law. Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 965, s 1, eff. 5/2/2022. Acts 2008 , ch. 1108, §3; 2010 , ch. 612, §§2, 3; 2011 , ch. 301, § 1.\n(a) A county election commission may utilize precinct-based optical scanners.\n(b) As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) \"Performance audit\" means a review of the procedures followed to conduct the election; (2) \"Precinct-based optical scanner\" means an optical ballot scanner that is located in the precinct and into which optical scan voter-verified paper ballots, marked either by hand by the voter or with the assistance of a device, are inserted to count the voter verified paper ballot; (3) \"Risk-limiting audit\" means a protocol which checks a random sample of ballots chosen by statistical methods; (4) \"Top race\" means the presidential race, if the presidential race is on the ballot, or the governor's race, if the governor's race is on the ballot; (5) \"Traditional audit\" means a protocol which requires bipartisan teams of election officials to hand count a number of randomly chosen ballots; and (6) \"Voter-verified paper ballot\" means a permanent, individual paper ballot that is marked either manually by the voter or with the assistance of a device and verified by the voter as correctly reflecting the voter's intent, before the voter's vote is counted by the precinct-based optical scanner.\n(1) \"Performance audit\" means a review of the procedures followed to conduct the election;\n(2) \"Precinct-based optical scanner\" means an optical ballot scanner that is located in the precinct and into which optical scan voter-verified paper ballots, marked either by hand by the voter or with the assistance of a device, are inserted to count the voter verified paper ballot;\n(3) \"Risk-limiting audit\" means a protocol which checks a random sample of ballots chosen by statistical methods;\n(4) \"Top race\" means the presidential race, if the presidential race is on the ballot, or the governor's race, if the governor's race is on the ballot;\n(5) \"Traditional audit\" means a protocol which requires bipartisan teams of election officials to hand count a number of randomly chosen ballots; and\n(6) \"Voter-verified paper ballot\" means a permanent, individual paper ballot that is marked either manually by the voter or with the assistance of a device and verified by the voter as correctly reflecting the voter's intent, before the voter's vote is counted by the precinct-based optical scanner.\nquires bipartisan teams of election officials to hand count a number of randomly chosen ballots; and\n(6) \"Voter-verified paper ballot\" means a permanent, individual paper ballot that is marked either manually by the voter or with the assistance of a device and verified by the voter as correctly reflecting the voter's intent, before the voter's vote is counted by the precinct-based optical scanner.\n(c) It is the intent of the general assembly that any county election commission utilizing a precinct-based optical scanner pursuant to this chapter shall comply in all respects with this chapter and federal law.","path":["TN Code","Title 2","Chapter 20"],"source_url":"https://oss-data-us.vaquill.ai/v2026.08/us_tn_statutes.parquet","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:26Z","sha256":"2b395319c0fd45ac7128aa851c3052e088d29b2cd85e9994d13651c0a97514d1","source_id":"us-tn","stale":false,"prev":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-2-1-120","next":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-2-20-102"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}