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Tuesday, November 4, all you have to do is remember to show up and vote-- but before Election Day arrives there's a lot of work being done behind-the-scene to ensure the quality of the election process.

Election officials in Chisago County have been-- and continue to do so this week-- testing voting machine accuracy at every precinct in Chisago County. The accuracy test we witnessed in Chisago City took about one hour and machines were sealed at the end of the test having performed the way they ought to.

Chisago County Auditor Dennis Freed and his elections staff created a "speadsheet" that is sent to all the polling sites with the testing results tabulated. Test ballots are supplied that must match up with the tabulations as they are run through the electronic units. Accuracy testing includes checking machine memory cards and determining there's no ballots inside the metal housing of the machine prior to when they are sealed.

The sealing system involves placing a wire through a latch on the machine and cranking on a mechanism that winds the wire around a disc on a wheel that can't be unwound. The only way to unseal the machine is by cutting the wire.

Pictured at Chisago City Hall are election judges Cheryl Jelinek, and Sonny and Phil Nelson, who were observed by City Administrator John Pechman and Paula Oehme while performing the accuracy test this week.

According to County Auditor Dennis Freed the machine is checked by running a zero tape through it, to calibrate and make sure the marking area is lined up with the candidate names. Election officials run a "test tape" for all elective seats, including the lengthy judge candidates' listings in this election cycle. Freed said the machines should "self-correct" in cases where errors are built into the marked ballots, which in Chisago City is exactly what happened.

Officials print a test tape for a hard copy backup and save the marked ballots, which after being electronically scanned, accumulate inside the metal housing of the machines. Time and date stamps are set, if need be and then election officials seal the machines, not to be opened until November 4 at the polling places.

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