Legal Definitions - dimpled chad

A "dimpled chad" refers to a specific type of mark found on a punch-card ballot, which was a common voting method in some jurisdictions. To understand a dimpled chad, it's helpful to first understand what a "chad" is.

A chad is the small piece of paper that is meant to be completely punched out of a ballot card when a voter makes a selection using a stylus or punching device. When a voter successfully punches a hole next to their chosen candidate, the chad detaches and falls away, leaving a clear opening.

A dimpled chad occurs when a voter attempts to punch a hole in a punch-card ballot, but the small piece of paper (the chad) is only indented, creased, or partially pushed in, rather than being fully detached from the ballot card. It indicates an attempted selection that did not result in a clean, complete punch-through. The chad remains connected to the ballot, often by all four sides, but shows a clear indentation or "dimple" where the voter applied pressure.

Here are some examples illustrating a dimpled chad:

• Example 1: Voter Intent

  During a municipal election, a voter uses a punch-card ballot to select their preferred candidate for mayor. They press the stylus firmly against the designated area but, perhaps due to a dull stylus or insufficient force, the small paper rectangle doesn't completely detach. When the ballot is later reviewed, election officials observe a clear, circular indentation on the ballot where the voter aimed, but the paper piece is still attached, merely pushed inward. This indentation is a dimpled chad, indicating the voter's intent to select that candidate, even though the punch wasn't fully completed.

• Example 2: Automated Counting

  In a state primary election, thousands of punch-card ballots are fed into an automated counting machine. The machine is programmed to register a vote only when a chad is completely removed, creating an open hole. For one particular ballot, the machine encounters a spot where the paper is distinctly pushed in and creased, but not fully separated. The machine's optical scanner cannot detect a clear opening and therefore registers this as an unreadable or invalid mark because it is a dimpled chad, not a fully punched hole that meets its criteria for a valid vote.

• Example 3: Manual Recount

  Following a very close gubernatorial race, a manual recount is ordered. Election officials meticulously examine each punch-card ballot by hand. One official holds a ballot up to a light source and points to an area where the paper is clearly pushed inward, creating a visible depression, but the small rectangular piece of paper remains connected to the ballot on all sides. The official identifies this as a dimpled chad. During the recount, specific state guidelines dictate whether such a mark, showing clear voter intent but not a full perforation, should be counted as a valid vote or not.