MUSKOGEE, Okla. — As election integrity is being debated across the country, Oklahoma is doing its part to make sure our elections are secure. 2 News visited Muskogee for its post-election audit and listened to the election secretary there.
The team at the Muskogee County Election Board is auditing the February 10th races, ballot by ballot.
More than 3,500 ballots were cast for mayor, and hundreds for several city council seats.
Election leaders say the audit is a tool to make sure elections are secure.
“It’s just another safeguard that the state has put in the system,” said Arthur Smith.
Karen Clausing was visiting her daughter in Green Country when she said she’s an election judge in her state.
“When you do cast your ballot, do you feel like it’s secure?” asked 2 News Anchor Naomi Keitt.
“Yes, yes,” Karen Clausing responded. “Going through the training, I have been really impressed by the security arrangements, like having a Republican and Democratic judge every step of the way to guarantee that there is nothing funny that goes on.”
The Oklahoma Election Board said that while they routinely authorized post-election audits, last year, an amendment to the law now requires the audits for regularly scheduled primaries, runoff primaries, and general elections, as well as the Presidential Preferential Primary Election.
“We have a foolproof system,” said Smith. "It is basically bulletproof, but this is just another safeguard to make sure that our equipment is functioning as it should be."
The audits cannot change certified election results, so the official results for Muskogee will stay the same.
Muskogee County Election Secretary Arthur Smith says it’s not just Muskogee doing post-election audits, but everyone in the state.
“Anyone who has had an election this year or in upcoming years will have an audit following that election. Statewide. Countywide,” he said.
Governor Kevin Stitt posted his thoughts on Oklahoma election security to Facebook after the Department of Justice sued Oklahoma for our voter records.
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