County to test election process ahead of vote

EPHRATA — As Grant County prepares for the Nov. 3 General Election, local election officials are inviting the public to get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the safeguards used to ensure votes are counted accurately.

The Grant County Elections Department will conduct its required Logic and Accuracy Test at 10 a.m. Oct. 8 in Room 203 of the Elections Department. The test is open to the public both in person and online.

A Logic and Accuracy Test is conducted before every election to verify that vote-counting equipment accurately records and tabulates votes cast on ballots.

“We are testing to ensure that this test set of ballots, pre-filled-in ballots with responses, we run it through the system to ensure that it picks up the answers that have been marked and verify that what we marked and what it picked up match,” Elections Deputy Rebecca Pettingill said. “Essentially, we know that it's reading the ballots correctly.”

Pettingill compared the process to checking and verifying equipment before it is used in a live election.

If a discrepancy was found during testing, officials would first review the test ballots and documentation to determine whether the issue stemmed from human error. Pettingill said Grant County has not encountered such a problem during her time with the Elections Department, but state officials are present during the testing process to provide oversight and assistance if needed.

The public testing is intended to provide transparency and help voters better understand how elections are administered.

“We hope that it brings some sense of validation to our voters because we want them to see that we not only are transparent in our processes, but also that they can have faith that all of our stuff is working properly,” Pettingill said. “Every single election we are testing this equipment to make sure there are no discrepancies.”

She said many voters may not realize the extensive procedures and oversight involved in administering elections.

“There is a process for everything,” Pettingill said. “We don't just wing it. There are rules and regulations and procedures in place to ensure that every step of the process is done correctly. There are laws, there are regulations, there are people that are observing, double-checking and verifying that we are doing things the right way."

Pettingill said election operations are open to public observation.

“It's not a closed process. It's not something we're shy about or we're trying to hide,” she said. “Every step of the process is able to be viewed, and we more than welcome people, especially if they have any questions or concerns, to come to us and ask us about it, watch it and see for themselves.”

She also noted that although ballots are processed before Election Day, election staff cannot view vote totals in advance.

“We don't actually have access to the tallied numbers,” Pettingill said. “Us as election staff, we don't get that number for the results of ballots, of votes, of anything like that, until the same time the general public does, which is 8 p.m. on election night.”

Ballots for the Nov. 3 General Election are scheduled to be mailed to voters Oct. 14. Pettingill said those who do not receive their ballots by Oct. 21 should contact the Grant County Elections Office at 509-754-2011 ext. 2704. Pettingill also encouraged voters to return ballots as early as possible and to use official ballot drop boxes when available.

Residents who wish to observe the Oct. 8 Logic and Accuracy Test online can do so through the Grant County Elections website by selecting the “Current Election” icon and then “Live Feed.”