Why you should feel your vote will be counted accurately

Eric Luoma

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OPINION — Early voting is underway across Arizona, and with it comes questions about how our elections work and the safeguards in place.

I recently toured the Maricopa County Tabulation & Election Center (MCTEC), the facility where machinery is stored and ballots are collected/counted. We learned about layers of security to safeguard the vote; how elections workers verify mail-in ballots; and had a direct Q&A session with the county Elections Director. No question off-limits!

Many voters may not know:

• Arizona requires that every voter provide valid ID when registering, and prove their identity at the polls;
• Our state utilizes paper ballots, and conducts post-election recounts and audits;
• No tabulation machine is ever connected to the Internet;
• The public can view multiple live video feeds from MCTEC, allowing voters to see what’s happening 24/7;
• Poll workers and ballot-processing observers come from across the political spectrum, including Republicans, Democrats, independents and more.

I toured MCTEC as part of a bipartisan local group – Pillars of the Community – that has community members from all walks of life. When there isn’t an election underway, the Maricopa County Elections Department hosts regular tours so anyone can see for themselves how the system works and the protections in place to ensure honest, accurate results.

The current dispute about election responsibilities between the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and the County Recorder has generated headlines and, understandably, public concern.

But, this issue shouldn’t be confused with the integrity of the election itself.

Regardless of how the disagreement is resolved, the professionals at the Elections Department and Recorder’s Office – and dedicated poll workers who staff vote centers - are doing their jobs. A multitude of protections are in place to safeguard the vote.

The Primary is nearly here. Your vote is protected. Go cast it with confidence.

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