County election equipment to undergo testing to ensure accuracy

Ballots lined up to be counted in the County Elections office on Tuesday, November 15, 2016. Photo by Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder Joe Canciamilla

In an effort to ensure that every Contra Costa ballot is counted completely and accurately, technicians from the Elections Division are in the process of programming and testing every piece of voting equipment that will be used in the November 6, 2018 General Election.

The central-count voting system for Vote-by-Mail ballots and the scanners for paper ballots located at each polling place are being tested for logic and accuracy. The ballot-marking equipment used at Regional Early Voting locations and on Election Day is also tested at this time since it interacts with those counting systems.

The series of tests starts by confirming that all machines are in working order and functioning properly, followed by a series of test ballots running through each machine to make sure they are properly programmed to pick up intended ballot marks.

There are six central count machines that will record results for approximately 2 million Vote-by-Mail ballot cards, along with about 300 ballot scanners at polling places throughout the County.

The public is always invited to check out the equipment testing in action. Those interested in observing the process should contact the Elections Division at 925-335-7805, as testing is being conducted intermittently during the next several weeks and at multiple locations.

A public demonstration of the central count voting equipment is scheduled for 10:00 am on November 2, 2018, at the Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder-Elections Office, 555 Escobar Street in Martinez. Visitors are asked to check-in at the Elections lobby. For more information, call 925-335-7800.


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