Secretary of State assures fair election ahead of MN Primary
[anvplayer video=”5126442″ station=”998128″]
(ABC 6 News) – Minnesota election officials are highlighting a lesser known process called Public Accuracy Testing to help the public feel confident in their vote.
Election officials in Olmsted County test equipment for weeks leading up to Election Day, this time around they expect to test up to 24,000 ballots.
This process ends with the Public Accuracy Test where anyone can come watch election officials feed ballots into machines, and see how ballots are counted and stored.
"We understand there’s a lot of trust put on us, and we take that to heart. By the time it comes to Election Day, election staff have put in weeks and weeks and weeks worth of work," said Olmsted County Elections Manager Luke Turner.
Every single polling place in Minnesota is required to do public testing within 14 days of the election.
After visiting polling places around the state, Secretary of State Steve Simon highlighted the Public Accuracy Test Wednesday in Burnsville. While this process isn’t new, he says it’s important now more than ever.
"In the aftermath of the 2020 election when we saw some particularly bizarre accusations leveled against election equipment companies, I think the stakes are a little higher. The equipment is tested and tested and tested again over and over, ever single election without fail," said Simon.