Center provides transparent view into elections

By The Herald Editorial Board

Maybe an interior designer would think the feng shui is off; data and power cables in plain sight snake from computers, servers and monitors across tables and up and down walls and across ceilings; air-conditioning ducts are exposed overhead; chain-link fencing secures areas behind locks. The vibe is more industrial than executive.

Everything is exposed, visible, transparent and secured.

And that’s the idea, said Garth Fell, Snohomish County auditor, as he led a tour of the county’s new $8.6 million elections center at the county administration building. Seeing the cables — where they start and where they end — helps make the point that the ones and zeroes read from each ballot stay in that room, as does the lack of an eye-pleasing drop ceiling in the space. The floors’ computers are air-gapped; there’s no internet connection to the outside world. Nothing is getting in except ballots — via a dedicated elevator that only goes to the third-floor center — and nothing except the vote tallies are getting out.

The election center, given a public tour last month, is getting its premiere run during the primary election; already ballots are being brought in, prepared and counted prior to announcement of the first results when polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. (By the way, you have until then to return your ballot.)

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-center-provides-transparent-view-into-elections/