Michigan Local Governments Conduct Public Accuracy Tests for Voting Equipment

As early voting for the 2026 midterm election approaches, Michigan’s local governments are conducting public accuracy tests on their voting equipment. This is a mandate by state law to ensure the reliability of the voting process.

The tests must be publicly held at least five days prior to the start of early voting, which is set to begin by October 24 across Michigan. A recent test in Grand Rapids took place in a city-owned warehouse by the river, led by Clerk Joel Hondorp.

Hondorp conducted the testing by randomly selecting tabulators to inspect, using dice to ensure randomness. Each of the city’s 59 precincts had a tabulator lined up for testing, along with those designated for early voting and voter assist terminals.

Building Confidence in Election Integrity

Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons was present during the test, overseeing the results. She emphasized the importance of these procedures in fostering trust in the election process. “What matters is making sure at the end of the day, we’re a rule of law nation,” she stated. “And you go through all these checks, all these processes, the court cases and at the end of the day a winner is certified and people have to accept those results.”

The accuracy test involved unlocking the machines, entering a code, and printing a receipt-like paper to verify zero votes at the start. A “test deck” of ballots, including several with intentional errors, was used to ensure the machines could handle discrepancies. The final votes were cross-verified with expected results, confirming the system’s reliability.

Former Republican governor John Engler also attended, supporting the verification process. He commented, “This is a very intricate, involved process. Lots of people have eyes on this, and today all the tests that have run, the ones that I’ve watched, the tallies come out and they’re spot on. They’re accurate and very secure.” Engler is currently affiliated with the Democracy Defense Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring trust in elections.

Early voting in Grand Rapids will begin on October 20, with statewide early voting starting by October 24. Meanwhile, absentee voting is already underway across Michigan. The general election is scheduled for November 3.