VOA新闻杂志2024--How Is Pennsylvania Testing Its Voting Machines?

Elections officials across Pennsylvania have begun testing their voting machines using a method known as logic¹ and accuracy testing. It will be important to know how the machines will perform under the pressure of the hard use they will experience during the election.

All election equipment used by Pennsylvania counties is put through this pre-election "stress test." A stress test is a way to find out how something performs under pressure.

Pennsylvania law requires all its counties to conduct logic and accuracy testing before any election. All other states do similar testing.

Forrest Lehman is director of elections and registration² in one Pennsylvania county. "Really, we are testing the voting system end to end," he said. "It's almost like we're running a small-scale election."

How it works

During logic and accuracy testing, election officials create sample ballots³. Some of these are made to fail or cause errors in the machines. The officials put the samples through the machines to make sure they are counting votes accurately⁴ and noting errors.

Mark Lindeman is director of policy and strategy at Verified Voting, a group that studies voting technology in the U.S. He said that "logic and accuracy testing, combined with post-election audits⁶ of the voted ballots" show that "voting machines are doing what they're supposed to do."

Preparing for Election Day

Pennsylvania counties have until 15 days before the election to confirm that they have completed the logic and accuracy test.

County officials must tell the heads of local political parties when and where they are doing the testing. The Pennsylvania Department of State says counties should also notify the public. The public can choose to observe the testing.

Snyder County Director of Elections Devin Rhoads said his county's testing is set to begin in October and finish in three days.

Rhoads said anybody who wants to watch Snyder County's testing is welcome.

"We're open and transparent⁷," Rhoads said. "If I have a person who is questioning or doesn't believe in the system," he says, he will show them how it works.

Other county election officials say they will run their tests over the coming weeks.

After the testing, officials reset⁸ the machines and keep them in a secure location until they go out to the voting places for Election Day.

All eyes on Pennsylvania, other swing states

Pennsylvania is considered an important swing state in this year's presidential election. A swing state is a state where candidates from the nation's two main political parties share similar levels of support among voters. This year, Democratic Vice⁹ President Kamala Harris and former Republican President Donald Trump¹⁰ are both seeking to win Pennsylvania's 19 electoral votes.

Election Day in the U.S. this year is November 5.

Words in This Story

county - n. an area of a state or country that is larger than a city and has its own government to deal with local matters

logic - n. a proper or reasonable way of thinking about or understanding something

accuracy - n. the ability to work or perform without making mistakes

sample - adj. used as an example of something

scale - n. the size or level of something especially in comparison to something else

audit⁵ - n. a careful check or review of something

transparent - adj. honest and open; not secretive

1 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

2 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

3 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

5 audit   

v.审计；查帐；核对；旁听

参考例句：

• Each year they audit our accounts and certify them as being true and fair.他们每年对我们进行账务审核，以确保其真实无误。
• As usual,the yearly audit will take place in December.跟往常一样，年度审计将在十二月份进行。

6 audits   

n.审计，查账( audit的名词复数 )v.审计，查账( audit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Requires that use of all bond funds is subject to independent audits. 需要使用的所有债券基金是受独立审计。 来自互联网
• Support the locations during customer-visits, audits and quality-improvement programs. 支持客户参观，稽核和提高品质等项目。 来自互联网

7 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

8 reset   

v.重新安排，复位；n.重新放置；重放之物

参考例句：

• As soon as you arrive at your destination,step out of the aircraft and reset your wristwatch.你一到达目的地，就走出飞机并重新设置手表时间。
• He is recovering from an operation to reset his arm.他做了一个手臂复位手术，正在恢复。

9 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

10 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。