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Four people were present: the voting machine custodians (one Dem, one Rep), who maintain and prep the machines prior to certification, and representatives from both parties. (Any candidate can also observe if they wish.) The party reps then jointly verify each machine for a whole list of items: e.g., that all candidate names, races and parties are reflected correctly, that all the levers work (or are locked out) properly, that the curtain and lights work, that there's a pencil available for write-ins, etc. The last thing checked is that all the counters are reset to zero after our test voting. (We check and reset them, lock down the counters, then check them again.) The top of the machine is then cranked down into the bottom and metal-strapped until Election Day. Each machine has four keys which serve different purposes; only two are given to poll workers, so there's no access to any of the inner workings of the machines at the actual polling locations.
Checking the levers was the most time-consuming part of the process. Each individual lever gets tested to make sure it works. We check to make sure that only the correct number of levers in any race can be pulled down at one time (usually one, but there are those "Vote for any two" type of elections). Party lines are tested for primaries (if the machine is set to Democrat, then levers on any other line are locked out). My fingertip was actually somewhat sore at the end of the certification, and we had only about 30 machines to test.
And just think I get to do this all again in a few short weeks! (And I'm happy to do it - democracy lives forever!)
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