With midterms fast approaching – and reports of hacking and foreign interference still prominent in the news – many Americans say they’re concerned about the integrity of our elections.

But in Orange County, election officials say there’s no cause for alarm.

“I’m here to assure every Orange County voter that our machines are secure,” says Orange County Elections Director Rachel Raper, “and you can have complete confidence when you cast that ballot.”

Giving a presentation to Orange County Commissioners this week, Raper said that Orange County’s voter equipment is never connected to the internet. Also, she said, Orange County uses only paper ballots, rather than touch screens.

“After every election, a bipartisan team hand-eye recounts two races and two precincts to make sure the human count matches the machine tabulation count,” Raper said. “That’s something that I think is very important – and that’s done in every election, small to large.”

Raper also told commissioners that all voting equipment is password protected; security seals and chain of custody forms are required for sensitive materials; and there is exclusive use of facilities by the board of elections with access only to properly vetted personnel.

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