How voting officials keep your absentee vote safe ahead of the primary

There’s just over two weeks before the August 14 primary, and with voter security on the forefront this election season, officials explain the importance of testing and early votes getting where they need to go.

“There is a lot of testing that goes on prior to every election, our machines are tested, the ballots are tested, the programming is tested,” says Cindy Anderson, an Elections Specialist with the City of Eau Claire.

All of this work, city officials say, helps ensure your vote gets counted the way you intended.

Early voting was created for people who can't make it to the polls on Election Day. The early votes collected are delivered to the poll site on Election Day and counted there.

“The machines are sealed and then on Election Day, our chief inspectors check the seal to make sure the machines aren't tampered with, make sure the count is at zero before they start opening the polls,” explains Anderson.

With voter security on high alert ahead of the August 14 primary, officials explain how your vote is kept secure, especially when it's cast weeks before it's actually counted.

“We feel like every election is important, so we safeguard the ballots at every election,” says Anderson.

“If you come down to City Hall and vote absentee, those ballots are secured in a room, in a locked room and they stay there until they're delivered to the polls.”

City officials say around 40 people turned out the first day of early voting in Eau Claire this year. Previous years saw about 200 people in total.

Early voting is open through August 10, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Voters will need a photo I.D as well as proof of residency.