Testing for election integrity

NORWALK — Local election officials showed off one of the processes they use to ensure election integrity. The Huron County Board of Elections on Tuesday conducted its required pre-election logic and accuracy test. It involved running ballots through voting equipment to confirm that the system records votes as expected before Election Day — the next election will be the primary happening on May 5. The testing, overseen by director Cecilia Blevins and deputy director Ben Kline, is required under Ohio law. No voting equipment can be used in an election unless it first passes this process. The machines were removed from a double-locked room, which, according to Kline, is designed to ensure no single person can access the machines. The room is under 24-hour video surveillance throughout the year. "We have to use two keys to access the machines; no one has access alone," he said. How it works The procedure began with what election officials call a "zero report," where each machine is checked to confirm it shows no votes before testing begins. That record is printed and kept as part of the documentation. From there, bipartisan teams fed a set of pre-marked ballots into the scanners. Each ballot is prepared in advance to produce a known result across all races and issues on the ballot. After scanning, the staff compared the machine totals to the expected results. If the totals do not match, the equipment must be taken out of service until the problem is identified and corrected. Testing includes ballots deliberately designed to trigger errors, such as overvotes — where a voter fills in more circles in a single race than they're supposed to. In those cases, the system is expected to flag or reject the ballot, depending on its configuration. Officials said the goal is to verify both that votes are counted correctly and that the equipment responds as intended when voters make mistakes. The process is not limited to standard voting machines. Accessible voting units were also tested on Tuesday. Those devices allow voters with disabilities to cast a ballot independently using audio ballots delivered through headphones and input controls. During testing, staff checked that audio prompts functioned and that selections made through the system were recorded correctly. "The team goes through and tests that the headphones and all the prompts are in working order and accurate," Kline said. Checking all variables Each ballot style used in the county must be tested. Because ballots can vary by election precinct, the board prepares test decks for each version that will appear in the election. Backup machines are also included in the process. Once testing is complete, equipment and memory devices are secured and sealed until they are deployed to polling locations. State law requires the testing to be conducted publicly and by bipartisan teams, though attendance is typically limited. The logic and accuracy test is designed to confirm that the system produces correct totals for a known set of ballots. According to Blevins, Tuesday's test went off without a hitch. "All the machines tested normally with no issues at all," she said.