ATLANTA — Election offices across Georgia are testing their voting equipment ahead of the start of early voting on Monday, April 27.
Counties are performing what’s known as logic and accuracy testing, a process used before every election to ensure machines are working properly.
Michael Barnes with the Secretary of State’s Office says the testing includes assigning ballot styles to voting machines and checking that touch screens are responsive and calibrated.
“What counties are doing right now is they’re going through their logic and accuracy testing. This is the process where they get all of the ballot styles assigned to the various components, to the touch screens, and they begin testing,” Barnes said.
As part of the process, staff also review test ballots after they are filled out and cast, ensuring each selection is recorded correctly.
“They bring up every ballot style on the machine, they verify that every position on the ballot is respective to voters’ selection. They produce ballots, they create test decks,” Barnes said.
Ballot reading devices are also being checked this week.
Barnes says the testing is essential to making sure all systems are ready before voting begins.
“These are tests that are done prior to every election and it’s essential to make sure that the components are ready, that they are trustworthy once the election begins,” he said.
Barnes added that he is confident counties will be prepared when early voting begins.
“They are experts at getting it ready, and I feel like they are going to be confident and ready to go once advance voting begins on Monday,” Barnes said.
“I have 100% confidence that all 159 counties are being prepared.”
WSB Radio’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story.