LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The elections of 2020 and 2000 threw an incredible amount of attention on what can be a tedious process— and that's counting ballots.
In 2020, Pulaski County upgraded its equipment to make things easier and more accurate.
Already, thousands of Arkansans have cast their ballots, and even more will do the same on Election Day— but once the selection leaves your hands, what happens next?
If you voted in 2020, you're likely familiar with electronic voting machines.
"Our old machines were at least 15 years old," said Amanda Dickens, Pulaski County election coordinator.
With the upgrade came an easier voting process.
She said that once people make their selection on the touchscreen machines, that's where the count can begin.
"It prints out on a wool ballot card, they can also double check their selections on the ballot card, and then that is inserted into a ballot tabulator," Dickens explained.
The tabulator allows election officials to count the selection from the paper ballot quickly and accurately.
Dickens showed us a separate machine that tabulates absentee ballots.
"On Election Day, the canvassers will open up the ballot-only envelopes and put them in a box will transfer them into this room and tabulate them through this machine," Dickens said.
If you don't have an ID with your absentee ballot, Dickens added that it's still possible it can be counted.
"They do have until Monday after the election at noon to bring us or show us an ID in person and then we can count that ballot," Dickens said.
"We do test ballots and run those ballots through the machines and make sure that they are tabulating as they should," Dickens said.
After the election, she said that leaders will perform an extensive audit of the machines.
"We double-check the numbers on the machines based on the results that were produced and make sure everything is," Dickens said.
Once you vote and receive the paper ballot, Dickens stressed that you should double-check it before you insert it in the tabulator.
After the ballot goes through, it cannot be changed.