MADISON, Wis. — Nearly a dozen observers crowded around Madison Deputy Clerk Jim Verbick, asking questions as he walked through the process of testing the DS-200 ballot-scanning machines ahead of Election Day.
Verbick fielded a variety of questions, from how the machines work to what happens if the power goes down when machines are transmitting. He says offering this kind of transparency is important for public confidence in the electoral process. He says observers are welcome throughout each stage of the election.
Verbick said, “As soon as the polls open they can be there to observe, even after the polls close they can still observe the closing process. It’s considered a public meeting so they can watch that whole process happen.”
Jefferson County resident Mary Owen attended the testing in Madison as an observer. She said the ballot scanning and testing process is a part of the election she wanted to learn more about. She hoped getting her questions answered would help her as an election worker in her ward. Owen is retired and sees observing as a public service.
She said, “As observers, we’re the voice of other voters who may not have time, who may not know that this is going on — to just ask the questions that other people may have.” She added that transparency from election officials helps her personally feel better about the ballot counting process.
Madison has more than a hundred machines to test as part of the hours-long process, and says Owens is prepared to stay until the end. She said “This is not exciting. This is the mundane. This is just what needs to be done.”
