Before Michigan’s November 3 General Election, local election officials have an important job to do: test the voting equipment to make sure it works properly and counts votes accurately.

It’s called logic and accuracy testing, and it’s one of the steps Michigan takes to prepare for every election.

What many voters may not know is that these tests are open to the public. You can go watch one yourself.

VAAC is joining our partners at Promote the Vote, the League of Women Voters, and All Voting Is Local Michigan in helping more people learn about these tests and how to observe them.

What is logic and accuracy testing?

Logic and accuracy testing is a way for election officials to check voting equipment before an election.

During a public test, election officials run prepared test ballots through a voting machine called a tabulator. They already know how many votes each candidate and ballot question should receive.

They compare the machine’s results with the expected totals. Election officials also conduct required testing of accessible voting equipment, including voter assist terminals that help people with disabilities mark their ballots.

The tests check how equipment handles problems such as blank ballots, votes for too many candidates in one contest, and ballots from the wrong precinct.

If the numbers don’t match, election officials must find and correct the problem. The equipment must pass the required testing before it can be used to count votes.

Michigan election officials also carry out preliminary testing of every tabulator and voter assist terminal that will be used in an election. Each jurisdiction is required to hold a public logic and accuracy test, where observers can watch selected equipment being tested before Election Day.

Why does this matter?

There’s a lot of information, and misinformation, circulating about how elections work.

Logic and accuracy testing gives voters a chance to see part of the election process for themselves, rather than relying on what they hear from someone else.

You can see how election workers test the machines, how they check the results, and what steps are taken to make sure the equipment is ready.

It’s also an opportunity to meet the local clerks and election workers who prepare for every election, learn about their responsibilities, and better understand the work they do before voting begins.

Observers are there to learn, not to interrupt or evaluate the clerks. Listening, asking respectful questions when appropriate, and thanking election workers for their time can help build stronger relationships between local election offices and the communities they serve.

Politicians don’t run our elections. Local clerks run our elections. These tests are one example of the responsibilities local election officials carry out to prepare for voters.

You can attend a public test in your community

Public logic and accuracy testing is taking place in communities across Michigan ahead of the November 3 General Election.

You don’t need to be an election worker or have special training to observe a public test.

At the test, you may see election officials print a report showing that the machine starts with zero votes, run prepared test ballots through a tabulator, and compare the results with the expected totals.

If you have questions, ask when there’s an appropriate opportunity. You might ask how long the clerk has conducted these tests, what voters commonly misunderstand about elections, or how community members can support their local election office.

The Election Protection Program has been sharing a Public Logic & Accuracy Tests Tracker listing dates, times, and locations for public tests in communities where its partners are working.

The tracker does not cover every Michigan community. To find a public test in your city or township, visit your local government’s website or contact your city or township clerk for the date, time, and location.

You can find your local clerk through mi.gov/vote.

And if you attend, consider telling your friends, family, and neighbors what you learned. You can also share your experience on social media to help others understand this part of the election process.

Want to learn more about how Michigan checks its election equipment and protects the voting process? In Michigan We Trust is a nonpartisan public education campaign that explains Michigan’s election safeguards using information backed by state law. Its website includes an explanation of public logic and accuracy testing, along with other ways Michigan voters can observe elections and learn how their ballots are counted.

Learn how Michigan prepares for elections

The League of Women Voters of Michigan has been helping people understand and observe public logic and accuracy tests. Their short video explains what happens during testing, what observers can expect, and how the public can learn more about the work of local election officials.

Watch the video below and share it with someone who wants to learn more about how Michigan prepares for elections.