Cass County has successfully completed its post-election and administrative audits following the November 3, 2026, General Election. Both audits confirmed the accuracy of the election results, with no issues identified that affected the outcome of any race.
The post-election audit was conducted Friday, November 6, 2026, pursuant to Iowa Code section 50.51, by representatives of both the Republican and Democratic parties. Following Election Day, the Secretary of State’s office randomly selects a precinct and race to undergo a post-election audit.
The post-election audit board conducted a hand count of votes from the Atlantic Ward 5 precinct in the U.S. Senator and Treasurer of State races. The hand-count results matched the election-night tabulator totals with 100% accuracy, confirming the accuracy of the machine count.
An administrative audit of the Atlantic Ward 3 and Victoria/Edna/Easterly Massena Township precincts was conducted Monday, November 9, 2026, by representatives of both the Republican and Democratic parties. The audit was conducted using the same voting equipment used on Election Day.
Election night results indicated that one ballot in each of the two precincts had not been counted due to a paper jam in the voting equipment. During the administrative audit, all ballots were counted, and the number of ballots accounted for matched the number issued on Election Day, with no discrepancies. The additional ballots did not change the outcome of any race, but their votes were included in the official election canvass results.
County Auditor Kathy Somers expressed appreciation to everyone who contributed to the successful administration of the election, including the Auditor’s Office staff, Precinct Election Officials, Absentee and Special Voters Precinct (ASVP) board members, Health Care Facility team members, and members of both the post-election audit and administrative audit boards.
Somers stated, “The November 3, 2026, General Election was challenging for those serving our county. There were new laws to learn, high voter turnout, voter challenges, additional observers to work with, and, in most cases, a 16-hour Election Day from 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. with minimal breaks.
“I sincerely appreciate everyone’s dedication to serving their friends and neighbors while maintaining the high standards of conduct that our election process requires. Thank you for your time, hard work and commitment to ensuring our elections are conducted securely and in compliance with state law.”
