Editing Elections in Venezuela (section)

===Random paper ballot audit===
Once the tally scrutinization is complete the staff proceeds to perform a random paper ballot audit of 54.31% of the machines. Each voting center can have anywhere from one to twelve voting machines, occasionally up to fifteen. The staff randomly selects the tables/machines by drawing a number out of a paper hat. The size of the draw is dependent on the number of tables/machines.<ref name=manual />

The following procedures occur step by step:<ref name=manual />

* Polls are closed
* Tally scrutinization finishes
* Random paper ballot audit announced
* The machines are randomly selected drawing numbers out of a paper hat
* The machine's serial number is recorded
* The corresponding paper ballot box is selected and opened
* The paper ballots results for each candidate are openly counted
* With the original tally printed from the electronic results, both results are audited
* Any anomaly (even if by one vote) is recorded in the audit report
* The original audit report is signed by staff and observers, officially sealed and handed to the military for delivery to the CNE
* Copies are handed over to the representatives of the two highest vote getters.