Our elections are not rigged

The election is rigged. That is the claim from one of our presidential candidates. It is not true, of course, but that isn’t stopping some from believing it. The fact is, there is integrity to our elections. In Wisconsin, a number of steps are taken to ensure that the outcome of the elections is determined solely by the voters. Some of those steps are obvious. People must prove their identity when they register to vote, and must now show a photo ID at the polls. But much of the work is done behind the scenes. A statewide voter database updated in real time ensures people are only registered once, and aren’t convicted felons prohibited from voting.The voting machines are tested, publicly, before each election. On election day, the results, tabulated by voting machines, are kept in a vault, a priority for local clerks throughout the state. And even after the votes are tallied, every local clerk in Wisconsin canvasses the vote, doublechecking to ensure all the numbers add up. If there are rare instances of some sort of fraud, typically accidents, those who somehow vote twice can be prosecuted by our courts. The United States election system is not rigged. To say that it is is an insult to those who work so hard to ensure the integrity of our elections. They deserve our thanks, not our criticism.