What if the paper and the computer disagree on the vote totals?
If there is a difference between counts produced from the paper ballots and purely electronic counts from the voting machines, paper ballots should generally take precedence as the paper ballots have been seen and verified by voters, whereas the electronic counters inside the voting machines have not. Of course, in the event that the election administration had problems (for example, misplacing paper ballot boxes), then the electronic counts may in such special circumstances be considered to be better than nothing at all from a given precinct. Whenever paper ballots exist, their tally will be the most dependable information available.
