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Election security and public trust the focus of two West Michigan Republican county clerks

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Voter ballot

Ahead of Michigan’s presidential primaries, a virtual news conference addressed the voting process ensuring secure and accurate elections.

County clerks want voters to better understand the voting system. Number one, election officials and election workers receive intense training. Number two, they’re Michigan citizens affiliated with a political party. And number three…

“The elections process is secure, transparent, fair, and accurate. And it relies on tried and tested systems of checks and balances.”

Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons joined Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebeck. He says transparency and accountability is built into the system. It begins in a public forum with testing of ballots and every voting machine. Throughout the election process as ballots are issued to voters there are precinct observers, challengers and poll watchers. Election results are audited, certified by the bipartisan, independent Board of County Canvassers.

“They are looking at the number of ballots issued and the number of voters on the poll book in every single precinct. They’re verifying that information in a bipartisan fashion and in full view of the public.”

Roebeck and Posthumus Lyons encourage election skeptics and the general public with questions to contact their county clerk’s office for more information.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.