MADISON, Wis. — Clerks across Wisconsin are prepping their equipment for the spring election on April 5. 

Maggie McClain is a Municipal Clerk II for the Madison City Clerk’s office. 

“I really like being able to help people,” she said. “When I help them solve a problem, or help them be able to cast their ballot, it’s really exciting.” 

She and other clerk staff spent Saturday at an office on East Washington Avenue testing the city’s 92 election tabulators. 

Clerks statewide are required by law to do these tests within the 10 days prior to every election. Staff basically do a mock election, and make sure everything is counted, recorded and transmitted properly. 

“We basically create test decks for every single polling place. We have the stick for the polling place that helps us read what the what ballot should be read for that particular place,” McClain said. “We basically test the ballots that would be used as a polling place, fill in test ballots,  make sure that the machine is reading what it should be reading, and we print out the results from the test, compare it to our test decks, make sure everything's okay.” 

It involves a lot of double and triple checking. Once they’re finished, everything is locked up until election day. 

“At the end of the day, basically everything is all sealed up and ready to go to the polling place,” McClain said. “This is secured and locked down.” 

These tests are open to the public, but often very sparsely attended. Anyone who’s curious about how it all works is welcome to come watch. 

“It’s a transparent process, it’s always been open to the public. So we encourage people to show up,” McClain said. “Whether they do is their own prerogative, but we encourage people to come.” 

The tests can take all day. They’re a vital part of making sure everyone’s ballot is counted correctly. 

“I love helping people vote and have their voice heard.”