Logic & Accuracy Test to be held October 6

WALLA WALLA COUNTY— An official Logic and Accuracy (L&A) Test will be performed on the digital scan system used to tabulate ballots and conducted by the Auditor’s Office. On Wednesday, October 6, 2021, the test will take place at 10:00 a.m. at the Walla Walla County Elections Office at 315 W. Main St., Room 203 in Walla Walla.

The Logic and Accuracy Test is conducted by county election personnel and observed and certified by the Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS). It is intended to verify that the ballot and counting system used for primary or general elections will count all votes cast correctly.

The test includes processing a prepared group of test ballots, marked with a known number of votes for each candidate and for and against each measure. The test ballots should also include a blank ballot and ballots marked with votes for more than one candidate, known as overvotes. The deck of test ballots is designed to test every office and voting position to see that the accumulating function is operating as it should. These test ballots do not reflect the actual ballots submitted by voters and are not included in any actual voting.

The test ballots are created before testing, according to the pattern laid out in WAC 434-335-445. The county must provide OSOS with information on the candidates and the county’s ballot styles so that an OSOS staff member can determine the expected results.

A zero report will be run to show there are no results in the system prior to testing. The test ballots are then run, and testing is confirmed after the previously determined results are met. Discrepancies are immediately investigated. Once testing is complete, an official certificate will be provided. The certificate records the names of the people conducting the test and those observing.

After testing, copies of the certificate will be given to the OSOS staff member and any official observers. The original certificate, test decks, and report results from the test deck will be securely stored with numbered seals and logs by county elections personnel. Suppose for any reason, the seals must be broken. In that case, the procedures for conducting an emergency L&A test must be followed, and test results must be faxed to the OSOS if the assigned representative is unable to attend.

For further information regarding the Logic and Accuracy testing, visit https://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/testingtheballottabulationsystem.pdf.