Protecting Your Vote: Election Security and Vote Counting

As Election Day approaches, voters can be confident that their vote is protected. Comprehensive measures ensure every vote is accurately recorded, safely stored and properly counted. From safeguarding ballots and voting machines to conducting post-election canvassing, the Office of Elections prioritizes security at every step.

We have strict protocols to protect mail-in absentee ballots, an increasingly popular voting method. Election officers closely monitor official drop box ballot returns. The 24/7 drop box at the Fairfax County Government Center is under video surveillance and boxes are physically secured with padlocks. Each ballot follows a strict chain of custody . Ballots are retrieved from the drop box multiple times daily.

Two election officials transport ballots collected from early voting and Election Day drop boxes in sealed containers to the Office of Elections. Once there, each transfer step is documented, ensuring that every absentee ballot is accounted for and properly stored.

Fairfax County uses DS300 and DS950 ballot scanners that are certified at both state and federal levels to meet required standards for accuracy and security. Before each election, these machines undergo rigorous logic and accuracy testing to verify their ability to read and tabulate ballots correctly. Election officials check hardware and software to ensure proper functioning and security measures are confirmed to prevent unauthorized access. Representatives from political parties are invited to observe these tests to ensure transparency.

A key security feature of these voting machines is that they do not have modems or wireless capabilities, such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This “air gapping” ensures the machines cannot be hacked or tampered with remotely. The machine’s digital scanner captures an image of the front and back of each ballot while also tallying the votes. After voting ends, results and ballot images are encrypted and securely stored on proprietary USB drives transported to election headquarters by two election officers using chain of custody protocols. Voted ballots are sealed in boxes, labeled for tracking and transported to secure storage at the courthouse.

Virginia’s statewide voter database tracks every voter who casts a ballot. Once a ballot is submitted — whether in person, by mail or through early voting — it is recorded in the database and pollbook, preventing counting of additional ballots under the same voter’s name .

On Election Night, votes cast on Election Day, during early voting and by absentee ballot are reported. Results are not final until all absentee and provisional ballot submissions are in. Virginia law allows absentee ballots postmarked on or before Election Day and received by noon on the Friday after to be counted. Provisional ballots are processed in the days following the election and accepted ballots are tallied by machine and added to the vote totals.

With more than 800,000 registered voters in Fairfax County, the largest jurisdiction in Virginia, accurate tabulation takes time. Election Night results are preliminary until all absentee and provisional ballots are counted. Once tallied, the Electoral Board can certify the final counts, which must be submitted to the Virginia Board of Elections by the second Friday after the election.

Fairfax County is a county in Northern Virginia. Its county seat is Fairfax, an independent city.