Cherokee County elections staff begin logic-and-accuracy testing; public commenters urge precinct hand-counts

Cherokee County election staff told the Board of Elections on Monday that logic-and-accuracy testing for a special election began this week and early voting has opened, while public commenters renewed calls for hand-counted ballots at precincts and staff pushed back on the feasibility of that change.

In a director’s report, Director Anne (last name not specified) said the office invited local legislators, members of a state study committee and State Election Board representatives to witness testing of voting equipment. “We invited our local delegation, members of the election Blue Ribbon Study Committee, candidates for the Senate District 21 and the Board of Commissioners Race 1, to join us for the logic and accuracy testing,” she said. She added that the office mailed 143 absentee ballots the first day they were able to send them and that early voting was under way at the election office and a drive-up “buzz” location.

The director also described outreach projects in development, including short instructional videos on voter registration and absentee-by-mail procedures and a training program for activity coordinators at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to help residents complete absentee applications. On the planned videos, she said staff plan to “keep them to maybe 5 to 10 minutes” and set a target completion of January 2026.

Why it matters: The logic-and-accuracy tests and…