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Central Counting Center

In West Virginia, a Central Counting Center (CCC) is a designated facility established by a county commission to process and tabulate votes during an election, particularly when electronic voting systems or centralized counting of absentee ballots is utilized. It serves as a secure, centralized location where ballots are counted using automatic tabulating equipment, ensuring efficiency and accuracy in the election process. The concept is rooted in West Virginia’s election laws, specifically outlined in West Virginia Code Chapter 3, with key provisions under Article 4A (Electronic Voting Systems) and Article 3 (Voting by Absentees). Below is a detailed explanation, incorporating relevant state code references.


Definition and Purpose

The Central Counting Center is defined in West Virginia Code §3-4A-2 as part of the infrastructure for counties using electronic voting systems. It is the location where votes recorded by electronic voting devices or absentee ballots are tabulated using approved automatic tabulating equipment. Its primary purpose is to consolidate vote counting in one secure place, reducing the burden on individual precincts and ensuring uniformity in the process. For absentee ballots, it’s where these votes are processed and counted if not tabulated at the precinct level, as specified in §3-3-8.


Legal Requirements and Establishment

Under West Virginia Code §3-4A-5, county commissions adopting electronic voting systems are mandated to:

  • Acquire vote recording devices (e.g., electronic voting machines).
  • Obtain automatic tabulating equipment approved by the State Election Commission.
  • Provide a Central Counting Center for use in the election.
  • The law stipulates that the CCC must be located at the county seat of the county involved, ensuring accessibility and oversight by county officials. The county commission is responsible for funding this setup, either through the general levy or other lawful sources (§3-4A-6).

For absentee voting, §3-3-8 specifies that in counties using paper ballots or direct recording election systems, absentee ballots are delivered to the CCC on Election Day for counting, unless the county clerk opts to count them at precincts (§3-6-6). This centralization streamlines the handling of absentee ballots, especially in larger elections.


Operational Procedures

The operations at the Central Counting Center are detailed in West Virginia Code §3-4A-27 (Proceedings at the Central Counting Center):

  • Staffing: The CCC is supervised by election officials, including the clerk of the county commission and at least two representatives from opposite political parties to ensure bipartisan oversight.
  • Ballot Delivery: On Election Day, ballot boxes containing absentee ballots (or electronic vote data) are delivered to the CCC. For paper absentee ballots, these boxes are opened in the presence of the clerk and the bipartisan team (§3-3-8(b)(1) and §3-3-8(c)(1)).
  • Counting Process: In electronic voting systems, votes are tabulated using automatic equipment tested prior to use (§3-4A-26).
    For paper absentee ballots in direct recording systems, each ballot is read aloud by a bipartisan team and recorded on a designated terminal (§3-3-8(c)(2)).
    In paper ballot systems, ballots are separated by precinct and counted manually or via tabulating equipment (§3-3-8(a)).
  • Public Transparency: Upon completion of the count, a summary of the returns is posted at the CCC for public viewing. After the canvass, precinct-by-precinct results are posted (§3-4A-27(e)).
  • Fallback Measures: If tabulating equipment fails, the county commission can order a manual count, following paper ballot counting rules as closely as possible (§3-4A-27(f)).

Security and Integrity

  • Security is a critical aspect of the CCC:
    • Equipment Storage: Post-count, vote-recording devices are boxed or covered and stored securely (§3-4A-27(g)).
    • Sealing During Canvass: Devices, poll books, and tabulating programs remain sealed during the canvass, only opened briefly for verification and resealed immediately (§3-4A-27(a)).
    • Challenges: Absentee ballots can be challenged, but the process is overseen by the county commission during canvassing, not at the CCC itself (§3-3-10).


Practical Application in Monroe County

While the concept applies statewide, in a rural county like Monroe County (county seat: Union), the CCC would likely be established at the courthouse or a similar facility. Given Monroe County’s smaller population and limited precincts, the CCC might handle both electronic votes and absentee ballots efficiently in one location, reducing logistical strain on election officials.


Key Code References

§3-4A-5: Mandates the establishment of a CCC for electronic voting systems.
§3-4A-27: Details proceedings at the CCC, including counting and transparency.
§3-3-8: Governs the disposition and counting of absentee ballots at the CCC.
§3-6-6: Allows precinct-level counting as an alternative, but defaults to CCC if not specified.

Conclusion

The Central Counting Center in West Virginia is a linchpin of the election process for counties using electronic voting or centralized absentee ballot counting. It ensures votes are tabulated accurately and transparently under strict legal guidelines, balancing technological efficiency with democratic integrity. In practice, it’s a controlled environment where election officials, overseen by bipartisan representatives, finalize the county’s vote count, making it a cornerstone of West Virginia’s electoral system as codified in Chapter 3 of the state code.