A clerk says it’s not just about checking equipment, it’s about building trust.
GREAT WHITE TWP, Mich. (WJRT) — Americans have just one week left to vote in the midterm elections.
And local preparations around Michigan are in their final stretch.
In Genesee County, this includes public accuracy testing for voting machines.
“This ensures that there are no votes in this machine when they turn it on in the morning. That we have wiped everything and tested all of our ballots,” said Lynn Henry, deputy clerk of Grand Blanc Township. , as she showed the printout of the machine. after power on.
The test took place at 10 a.m. Tuesday in cities and townships across the county.
The clerk’s office fixes a result and completes a set of test slips.
Then they run those ballots through the machine and check to see if its results match the votes.
If the count is off, they know something went wrong.
The tests also ensure that the machines do not accept incorrect ballots – those filled in where they are not supposed to be.
Township Clerk David Robertson said the tests do more than check for computer errors. They build trust with voters.
“It’s made public so citizens can see it and be sure the machines are working properly,” Robertson explained.
And although open to the public, the Grand Blanc township test had no participants. It was a sight that Robertson said made him surprisingly happy.
“I would like to think that the fact that we have never had a visit tells me that the public already has confidence in our processes. And has maintained confidence in this office and its staff,” he said with a slight smile.
Every machine in Michigan goes through these kinds of tests. And any issues that arise are taken care of by their governments before election day.
