Sec. of State Pate takes part in election equipment testing

     Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate joined Jones County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Whitney Hein on Tuesday morning, Oct. 14, at the Jones County Courthouse as the county conducted public tests on its election equipment ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 8, General Election.

   The testing took place in the Community Room at the courthouse.

   Every vote tabulator undergoes a logic accuracy test (basically a pre-election audit) in which the public is invited to attend and watch. Sample ballots are tested on the machine to ensure the tabulators are working correctly and recording votes properly.

   Both Secretary Pate and Hein highlighted the many steps Iowa takes to protect the integrity and security of elections.

   “Election tabulators are tested before each election with test ballots,” explained a post on the Jones County Iowa Elections Facebook page. “There are a series of four tests that each machine undergoes. These test results print from the machine and are then compared to the test ballot answer key for accuracy. At the conclusion of the test, the machines are reset to zero and sealed with two types of seals. The next time these machines will be opened is on Election Day. The poll workers will verify the seal numbers on each machine and verify that the vote totals are zero before voting starts.”