Reply #4: Did you read the OP where there was talk of hand-counting...

[TreasonousBastard]

260,000 ballots for a recount?

Hand counting at the precinct level would mean they would all have to be counted election night.

A typical election district in my county, and much of New York, has 1,000 voters-- considering 60% is a high turnout, six to eight people accurately counting 600 ballots, or more, after an 20 hour day is a lot to ask, and is not only more open to fraud, but the worst way known to introduce error. For elections with a high number of absentee ballots, the county knows this and keeps them at the BOE offices for later counting.

Various mechanical and electronic means of counting were introduced simply BECAUSE of the fraud and error rates in hand countng.

(I always wonder how many hand count advocates have ever worked a poll. Or a cash register, for that matter, or an accounting program-- should we eliminate Quickbooks because a handwritten ledger is more secure?)