Latah County omits 2,342 ballots in election results

MOSCOW, Idaho (KIFI) – More than two thousand ballots in Latah County were not included in election results on Tuesday.

The omission did not impact any outcomes in the race, according to an initial review.

"This is a significant discrepancy in results, and we are taking it very seriously," said Secretary of State Phil McGrane. "Every Idahoan needs to have confidence that their vote counted, and we're working closely with Latah County Clerk Julie Fry and her team to ensure the results are accurately reported, and every vote is properly accounted for."

The ballots were originally tallied by county machines, but the results were not “fully transferred to the election night result-reporting system,” according to a news release from the Secretary of State’s office.

The discrepancy was discovered in a post-election review. 

A full recount of the ballots will take place Tuesday, November 10 at the Latah County Courthouse that will be open to for all to observe.

"We have the canvass period and review processes in place to serve as important safeguards to ensure election results are accurate," McGrane said. "In this case, Latah County was working through these safeguards and identified a discrepancy that needs to be corrected. Every indication is that the election was conducted properly and a mistake was made when sharing the results publicly. Regardless, in Idaho, we have a paper record of every vote cast for this very reason. We will go back and count all the original votes so everyone can have confidence in the process. Clerk Fry and I are committed to ensuring every vote is counted and reported."

The Secretary of State’s Office assured that it is working closely with Latah County to identify why the mistake happened and avoid future problems.

The discrepancy highlights why election totals are not official until a thorough canvassing, or review of election results, is finished.