SB 1473 - This act modifies provisions relating to elections. CAST VOTE RECORDS (Sections 115.013 and 115.493) The act creates new provisions making available cast vote records open records. A cast vote record is defined as an electronic record of each cast ballot produced by the election authority's automatic tabulating equipment or electronic voting system. This provision is similar to a provision in HB 2864 (2024). AUDITS OF ELECTION RESULTS (Section 115.500) Prior to the certification of each election, the verification board shall randomly select not less than 5% of all election precincts through the use of a random drawing, but not less than one precinct, in order to conduct a manual hand-count audit of selected contested races and ballot issues in the selected precincts. Random selection of the precincts and the manual hand-count audit shall be open to any member of the public, and the election authority shall notify the public of the time and place of the selection and audit no later than 48 hours prior to the beginning of the selection process by posting a notice in a prominent place, which is easily accessible to the public and clearly designated for that purpose, at the principal office of the election authority. If the results of the manual hand-count audit of the selected races and ballot issues differ by more than one-half of 1% from the results of the electronically tabulated vote results, the verification board shall immediately investigate the causes of any discrepancy and resolve any discrepancies prior to the date of certification set forth in state law. This act is effective January 1, 2025. SCOTT SVAGERA