Local Elections #2: Who runs local elections,protects voting equipment

Published on October 05, 2026

Election security begins with people, procedures, and accountability.

The Tompkins County Board of Elections administers local elections under State and federal requirements. The Board is led by commissioners from the two major political parties, and bipartisan teams carry out key parts of election administration. Trained election inspectors staff voting locations, while County and State partners support continuity, cybersecurity, public safety, and emergency response.

Tompkins County voters mark paper ballots. When a voter inserts a ballot into an optical scanner, the paper ballot remains the durable record of the vote. New York requires voting systems to meet State and federal standards before use, and County boards test the equipment before elections.

Voting equipment security

Before an election, bipartisan Board of Elections staff conduct logic-and-accuracy testing to confirm that the correct ballot programming is installed and that scanners read test ballots accurately. New York voting systems used to cast and count ballots cannot transmit or receive data through the internet or wireless networks. Equipment and ballot materials are controlled and documented throughout deployment and return.

Physical safeguards continue after testing. Voting equipment and election materials are protected through dual-lock controls that require bipartisan participation. When equipment or materials are transported, they remain sealed, and seal numbers and transfers are documented on chain-of-custody forms and verified by the people releasing, transporting, and receiving them.

After voting machines return to the Board of Elections, technicians perform a cryptographic integrity check, commonly called a ‘hash test.’ The test confirms that the software installed on each machine matches the version certified by the New York State Board of Elections.

Ahead of each election, local officials review likely scenarios and practice how they would respond to issues such as severe weather, a power or communications outage, a polling-place problem, misinformation, or a safety concern. The County’s planning brings together the Board of Elections, Department of Emergency Response, Sheriff’s Office, Information Technology Services, County Administration and Communications.

The goal is straightforward: protect voters, election workers, ballots, and the continuity of voting.

Some security measures cannot be described publicly because doing so could weaken them. What voters can expect is a layered system: certified equipment, paper ballots, documented procedures, bipartisan oversight, contingency planning, and post-election checks.

Your action this week

Look up your registration and find your polling place, early voting information, and view your sample ballot.
Bookmark tompkinscountyny.gov/boe and use it for polling-place, ballot, and schedule information.
Review your paper ballot before casting it. All voters may ask a poll worker for instructions or assistance.
Be cautious about voting claims from accounts or messages that do not link to an official election source.

Important dates

Oct. 19: Deadline for address changes to be processed in time for the General Election.
Oct. 24: Deadline for voter registration and for mailed or online early-mail and absentee ballot applications to be received.
Oct. 24-Nov. 1: Nine days of early voting at the Tompkins County early-voting locations.
Nov. 3: General Election Day, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Myth / Fact

Myth: Tompkins County voting machines are connected to the internet and can be changed remotely.

Fact: New York prohibits voting systems from having functionality capable of transmitting or receiving data through the internet or wireless means. Voters cast paper ballots that are retained, and bipartisan staff test the scanners before voting begins.

Voters in special situations

Voters with disabilities: Every poll site offers accessible voting, including a ballot-marking device. A voter may request assistance from poll workers or bring a person of their choice, except an employer or union representative.