Texas Secretary of State ensures voting systems can be trusted

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Ahead of the General Election this November, Texas Secretary of State John Scott released a video about election administration to educate voters on how voting machines are certified, tested and deployed to keep votes secure.   

The video was released two days after voting activists questioned Scott about conspiracy theories related to voting integrity at a public testing of voting machines at the Hays County Government Center in San Marcos, according to reporting by the Texas Tribune.

During the testing session, Scott spent around 20 minutes listening and responding to the concerns of the activists gathered at the event, according to the same reporting.

This line of questioning is not uncommon. Other counties around the country have seen similar doubts cast on their voting processes since former President Donald Trump raised concerns about whether election results could be trusted.

In the video, however, Scott ensured listeners that the Texas voting process can be depended on.

“Each voting system had to undergo rigorous testing, certification and recertification by the (Election Assistance Commission) in order to be used by a U.S. election,” Scott said in the video. “In Texas, we have even higher standards for our voting systems,” he continued.

"Here are a couple of key facts that you, as a Texas voter, should know when it comes to the Security of our voting systems: (1) voting machines in Texas are never connected to the internet; (2) only the software that our office certifies can be loaded on voting equipment; and (3) All voting machines in Texas are tested for logic and accuracy three times - twice before the election, and once immediately after the election," Scott said.

This video is the second of an educational series called SOS 101, where Scott explains various facets of the voting process in Texas. In the first one, Scott provided an overview of the voter registration process.