(Editor’s note: The following information was provided to the Patriot by Sherburne County as a means to clear up any misconceptions on how the voting process proceeds.)

How do officials verify that in Sherburne County their electronic voting systems are secure?

They go through a number of validation steps, before, during and after the election to ensure the systems are secure throughout the process.

• The source code for the Dominion machines we use has been presented to the State of Minnesota and examined by a third-party evaluator who is a federally accredited lab. The Secretary of State’s office has escrowed the source code as part of the certification process.

• Machines are tested before every election using a set of pre-marked ballots that is fed into tabulators. The machine’s totals are then compared with the pre-determined results. Some equipment is also tested at a Public Accuracy Test shortly before the election. Public Accuracy Tests are open to the public.

• Unlike some other systems, Sherburne County machines never touch the internet.  After all voters have finished voting and the polls have closed, the ballot counters print multiple copies (tapes) of the results. After results tapes have been printed and balanced, election judges transmit the results electronically to a secured server using random phone numbers generated for each election.

• After the general election (even years) a PER (Post Election Review) is performed. In Sherburne County, they are required to review three precincts which are picked at random during the canvassing of the election. The result of the PER must be less than 0.02% from the election results. Most changes are due to voter intent based on reviewing the actual ballot.

• Sherburne County has had several recounts in recent years, including one in 2020 in the Senate District 14 race. There were 39,488 votes cast in that race. The hand recount showed that five more votes were added – three for one candidate and two for another. The result of the hand recount changed the winning margin of that race by one vote.

• Ballots along with all election documentation are stored for 22 months per Minnesota Statue. The county stores election equipment and documents in a secured ballot room. Two election judges  -- one from each major political party -- are required to enter the room along with signing a logbook stating the reason for entering the room. 

How does the county ensure only those authorized to vote in the county actually vot?

• Minnesota uses a centralized database, the Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS), to ensure each voter only has one registration in the system. When entering voter registration applications, the county election administrator first looks to see if the person already is registered. If so, then they update that person’s registration; if not, then they create a registration for the person in the system. This practice helps ensure that each voter is accurately registered in the system. Every month, the county runs a duplicate voter report to make sure there are no duplicate records. Once a quarter, they run the same reports for the entire state and compare to Sherburne registrations.

• The Statewide Voter Registration Database goes through a continuous and rigorous maintenance and data-matching process to remove any voter that has moved or died.

• Voting rosters are set 21 days before the election. Anyone registering after that is considered a new registered voter. Poll pad voting rosters are programmed usually 10 days before the election. The poll pads are then tested, charged and sealed until they are picked up by the precinct. A election judge from each of the two major political parties opens the poll pads on election day after verifying serial numbers on the pads.

• Ballot drop boxes have been eliminated from use in Sherburne County.

What are some key changes to the MN voting laws?

• Counties and municipalities are prohibited from reverting to the hand counting of ballots.

• The deadline has been extended for all absentee and mail ballots to be returned to 8 p.m. on election day.

• The early voting period has been extended to start 18 days before election day.

• The right to vote has been restored to people convicted of a felony as long as they are not incarcerated for a felony offense.