The legislative elections are almost upon us and everyone is getting ready. Election departments everywhere are preparing for routine, public, logic and accuracy tests on voting machines, a procedure required by law to ensure that the machines count votes accurately.
Collin County announced tests will take place on October 7 at the elections department at 2010 Redbud Blvd, Suite 102 in McKinney and officials welcome residents to participate in the tests.
In an increasingly disputed midterm election and amidst a climate of distrust and paranoia kicked off by the 2020 election fraud allegations, administrators and voting machines alike are being scrutinized by the public. According to the Election Transparency Initiative website, 64% of voters are worried about fraud and see the need of strengthening voting safeguards and many elections departments across the country are being questioned by activists.
As reported by Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization focused on covering local elections, on September 21 as Hays County officials alongside Secretary of State John Scott were conducting what they expected to be an uneventful public testing of voting machines, a dozen activists disrupted the procedure questioning the transparency of the process with conspiracy theories talking points.
The news outlet also reported that The America Project, an organization founded by Michael Flynn, has interviewed election officials in nearly 200 counties in eight swing states. The interviewers used a survey that asks officials’ opinions on debunked conspiracy theories.
Ben Berwick, counsel at the nonprofit Protect Democracy, fears the information could be used to fuel misinformation campaigns, disrupt voting, or challenge results. “It seems consistent with their efforts to really understand how to manipulate the machinery of election administration in this country,” Berwick told Votebeat.
As previously reported by Local Profile, Collin County has become a hotbed of contention for Republicans and Democrats which could attract controversy surrounding the electoral process. On October 7, those interested in taking part in the tests can cast ballots using the voting equipment and verify the accuracy of the voting system by comparing a hand count of the ballots against the machine.
In case you missed it, here’s Local Profile’s Collin County voter guide.
