BOE tests voting machines to ensure honest voting

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nonpartisan poll workers carefully test and inspect every device used on Election Day.

“We take what we do seriously. And that is exactly our task. This is how we make a living, to make sure that when a voter comes into contact with us, maybe once, two or three times a year, they can go and vote and feel safe,” said Aaron Sellers , the public information officer of the Franklin County Board of Elections.

This is called the logic and accuracy test and is carried out every year to ensure the voting process is as accurate as possible.

“Once the public realizes how things work here in Ohio, not just in Franklin County but across the state, here’s what’s happening in every electoral college in the state of Ohio,” Sellers said.

Election security is a top priority for election boards across the state. In Cuyahoga County, year-old voting equipment can only be accessed with two keys, both owned by a Democrat and a Republican. In Franklin County, the warehouse where voting equipment is stored has an additional layer of security.

“You’ll see some newer electronic fencing devices here that we turn on when no one is here. This is as a security measure to make sure nothing is tampered with when no one is here,” Sellers said.

According to the Franklin County Board of Elections, it takes about half an hour for their nonpartisan teams to inspect a series of voting machines. But they have to go through thousands.

“They process these things pretty quickly, but it takes us weeks to get it done because we have over 3,000 pieces of equipment that they have to look for,” Sellers said.

Ohio election boards work tirelessly to make sure your vote counts, constantly testing and verifying because they know how important an honest election is.

“We are making every effort to ensure that we conduct fair, open and honest elections. And I just think about the public: once they know what we’re doing here on the board, I don’t think they’re going to have any problems with the integrity of what we’re doing,” Sellers said.

The Franklin County BOE said that in the event that a voting machine appears to be faulty, technicians located throughout the state will be available on Election Day to provide immediate assistance and repair the machine.

“The election results that you see, the unofficial results that you see on election night, will be all we have.” And when we certify this election 21 days later, people can be assured that every valid ballot that submitted in this state will be counted,” Sellers said.