All 15 Arizona counties have passed tests conducted by the Secretary of State’s Office to verify the accuracy of voting equipment ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
State law requires the Secretary of State’s Office to conduct logic and accuracy tests on voting equipment used throughout the state to tally votes. The tests ensure voting equipment is operating correctly by essentially running mock elections for federal and statewide races using sample ballots provided by state election officials.
“No one knows how many ballots they’re bringing to their counties, so this is a blind test to the county officials,” said Scott Jarrett, Maricopa County’s elections director. “So they have no knowledge of the ballots that they selected, the contests they ended up voting, how they voted those contests.”
The county must also conduct its own additional test for other county and local races that will appear on the ballot.
Maricopa County live streamed the test this year on its YouTube channel, and Jarrett provided ongoing commentary explaining the process to viewers.
State Elections Director Lisa Marra confirmed the county passed the logic and accuracy test, which showed its tabulators were counting votes 100% accurately.
Observers from the Maricopa County Republican and Democratic parties also signed off on the results of the Secretary of State Office's test and filled out 10 sample ballots of their own for a second test — which the county also passed.
“You guys did really well,” Maricopa County Republican Party Chairman Craig Berland said after that second test. “I was really surprised, because that was kind of a high test.”
Marra said Maricopa County was the last county to undergo the Secretary of State Office's logic and accuracy testing after she traveled by state plane to test other counties in every corner of the state.
“All of them did wonderful,” said Marra, confirming the state’s 14 other counties also passed their tests.
