EPHRATA — As Election Day approaches, questions about election integrity, ballot security and public trust remain at the forefront of political discussions across the country. 

For the fourth installment of the Columbia Basin Herald’s five-part candidate Q&A series, auditor candidates Shannon Falstad and Darci Homesley were asked: “Election administration has become increasingly scrutinized in recent years. What is the most important thing Grant County voters should know about how local elections are conducted, and what additional steps, if any, would you take to strengthen public confidence in the process?”

Homesley: The most important thing Grant County voters should know is that Washington’s election process includes multiple safeguards designed to ensure ballots are handled and counted properly. Voting systems are tested before elections, signatures are verified, ballots follow established processing procedures, and audits are conducted before results are certified.

Where I believe we can always do better is communication and transparency. People are more likely to understand a process when they can see how it actually works. I would support making information about ballot processing, signature verification, logic-and-accuracy testing, audits, and certification easy for the public to find and understand.

I would also make sure residents know when and how they can observe the portions of the election process that are open to the public. Rather than simply asking people to trust the process, we should give them the information and opportunity to see and understand the safeguards for themselves.

Transparency, accessibility and education are important parts of maintaining public confidence in our elections. 

Falstad: I believe the most important thing voters should understand is how their ballot is verified, processed, counted, audited and certified. The State of Washington has a detailed, state-mandated process in place, and the Secretary of State provides information explaining each step of that process on their webpage. Voters can also observe many of these procedures through their local elections office. Once someone takes the time to understand the process, observing it firsthand provides a much clearer perspective on what is happening and why each step is important.

Ballots must be postmarked or placed in an official ballot drop box by Nov. 3. Voters can verify their registration status and find election information at VoteWa.gov. Grant County voters with questions can also contact the county elections office at 509-754-2011 ext. 2704.