Cache Valley residents have a chance to participate in a step of the election process that could offer some peace of mind.
Utah law requires election officials to conduct a public Logic and Accuracy Test before each election to ensure voting equipment is functioning properly. To meet this requirement ahead of the 2025 municipal primary election, the Cache County Clerk’s Office will conduct this test at 10 a.m. on Thursday at the Cache County Ballot Processing Center.
Bryson Behm, the Cache County clerk, said this process will simulate an actual election by running a “test deck” of ballots through every machine to ensure that each pre-filled ballot is tabulated correctly. And he added that members of the public can do more than just watch.
“We'll let you feed the ballots yourself," he said, "we'll let you mix up the ballots in different orders — we want the public to be involved, and we want to be as open [and] transparent as possible.”
Behm said the test typically takes about an hour, but noted that every machine must tabulate the test deck with 100% accuracy — otherwise, the machines must be recalibrated, and the test must be repeated.
“We can't process any actual election ballots until we pass that Logic and Accuracy Test,” he said.
Behm stressed that this step plays a key role in ensuring public confidence once next month’s election outcomes are finalized. And he added that his office always welcomes questions about the election process.
“Or just anything in general that the clerk's office does," he said. "I'm more than happy to answer any questions. You can grill me, try to trick me, test me — I'm all for it.”
