Campaign 2012

Gallatin County tests ballot machines in preparation for Election Day

Posted: Oct 31, 2012 6:22 PM by Adam Bell

With Election Day less than a week away, the Gallatin County Elections Office is gearing up by testing their ballot counting machines.

Several volunteers joined county officials on Wednesday, testing the ballot counting machines by running test ballots, ensuring each machine comes up with the same number of votes. Several community members were educated on how the machines work, and all the coordination that goes into counting ballots, in preparation for the real deal next Tuesday. County lection Administrator, Charlotte Mills says that once the machines are checked, they get put safely away until Election Day.

"We actually, at the end of the test we will seal them, we have seals with numbers on them, we will record those seals on security logs and then we actually lock them in our basement vault, until they are distributed to the polling place mangers and the judges on election day," says Mills

Mills adds that the election office is looking for volunteers to help, particularly late on election night. If you are interested, or want details on volunteering, you can call the county elections office at 582-3060.