Be assured, voting machines are never connected to internet and are surveilled 24/7

In today’s digital age, the security of voting machines has become a critical concern on Election Day.

In his second of five presentations, Wayne County Board of Elections Deputy Director Bryon Bell made one point clear − voting machines are never connected to the internet.

After recounting how far the integrity of Election Day voting has evolved, from voice voting to punch cards to modern-day electronic voting machines, Bell said that, when stored, each machine is stored behind two sets of locked doors and is under video surveillance 24 hours a day.

“Votes were originally cast viva voce, which means by living voice in Latin. You would go up to the steps of the courthouse, surrounded by your entire community. You would state your name and that you are there to vote. You would state your vote, with everyone hearing how you voted," Bell said. "Problems with this kind of system − voter intimidation. If your boss was standing there to make sure you vote the right way, it could cost your job. Imagine walking up to the courthouse, yelling out your name, address, and who you are voting for.”

Bell said the next voting method used was party tickets printed in the newspaper for voters to fill out and drop off, followed by the Australian ballot, lever voting machines, punch cards and today’s electronic poll books.

Voting system has 'robust security' and 'tamper-evident locks'

At their core, voting machines are designed to accurately record and tally votes, ensuring every citizen’s voice is heard. On Election Day, a voter walks into a polling station, shows identification to a poll worker, approaches a voting machine and selects their preferred candidates or options. The machine records the vote, stores it securely and tabulates the results. The entire process is private, transparent, verifiable and tamper-proof, with multiple layers of security to prevent fraud and manipulation.

Each voting machine must be certified by the Ohio Board of Voting Machine Examiners before it can be used.

“Security is a very important concern. (Our system) demonstrates a robust security system that allows for the extensive use of tamper-evident locks and seals that prevent unauthorized access,” Bell said.

Once votes have been cast and results are in, the work is far from over.

Post-election auditing and verification are crucial steps in ensuring the integrity of the election. The auditing process examines the voting systems, procedures and results to detect potential anomalies or discrepancies. It’s a painstaking task that requires a meticulous review of voter registration records, vote tallies and machine logs to confirm the election outcome accurately reflects the results.

Like a forensic investigation, election officials from both parties and security experts scrutinize every detail to identify any signs of tampering, fraud or technical glitches. By doing so, they can confidently assert the election was free from manipulation and the results are trustworthy.

“Audits must be 99.5% accurate,” Bell said. “We are only allowed an error rate of one-half of 1 percent. Historically, Wayne County audits are 100% accurate, and I am very proud of that.”

Dan Starcher is the Public Communications coordinator for Wayne County.