T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Secretary of State Paul Pate talks with Marshall County Auditor/Recorder Nan Benson in the hallway of Great Western Bank Friday while a passer-by looks on.

“Proper preparation prevents poor performance” is the age-old adage and it was emphasized Friday afternoon on the second floor of Great Western Bank.

With several Marshall County offices in the bank — including that of county Auditor/Recorder Nan Benson — Pate stopped by to review Nov. 6 election criteria with Benson and to discuss how Iowa works to prevent election hacking.

Benson told Pate Assistant Auditor/Recorder Cindy Reutzel and staff had successfully conducted a Marshall County election test earlier this week, demonstrating in front of the Times-Republican, local elected officials and visitors from Europe.

“We will have employees from the Auditor/Recorder office to help poll workers open and close the election sites,” Benson said. “They will be able to help with preparing computers and other equipment necessary.”

Proper preparation for what is expected to be a large turn out Nov. 6 was on Pate’s mind, as was hacking of vote results.

“There are five key takeaways about Iowa’s election security,” Pate said.

• Use of paper ballots

• No Internet voting or relaying of vote tally information

• Elections are conducted in bi-partisan fashion

• For questions, Iowans can go to the local county auditor’s website, www.co.marshall.ia.us

• Or, Iowans can visit the Secretary of State’s website: https://sos.iowa.gov

“As Iowans, we have an exemplary set of checks and balance in place,” he said. “For example, we will have specially marked parking spots for those using curb-side voting. A Democrat and a Republican will take the ballot out to the car. We have 300,000 disabled Iowans and we want them to know we can help.”

Benson said the bi-partisan spirit is displayed when flash drives containing voter results are transported from the county’s 19 precincts to Marshalltown.

“We have a Democrat and Republican reserved deputies do this important job,” she said.

Benson said earlier this week Marshall County absentee voting is ahead of 2016.

“We have 99 counties and 1,600 precincts in Iowa,” Pate said. “And I want Iowans to know their ballots are secure.”

For more information about election security in Iowa, visit https://vimeo.com/280607200, or call Marshall County’s Election Hotline, 641-754-6302.

——–

Contact Mike Donahey at

641-753-6611 or mdonahey@timesrepublican.com