Rigged elections? Not in Sumner County, clerk says
by James Jordan, Sumner Newscow — U.S. Presidential Republican nominee Donald Trump has charged that the upcoming election might be rigged calling into question the electoral process that is used across the nation.
In Sumner County, at least, local officials doubt this is a real problem.
Sumner County Clerk Debra Norris believes elections in Sumner County, and in Kansas, are in good shape and that fraud is very rare.
“We ask for proof of citizenship when people register the first time, and then they have to show their ID when they vote. I think that eliminates a lot of problems,” she said.
She said there have not been any problems or issues with recent elections in the county.
“Fortunately in Sumner County we have good people and we don’t have any problems,” she added.
The machines people vote on are plugged into a wall, and the data is recorded. That data goes onto a zip drive and is plugged into the larger system where the votes are counted.
She said it would be very hard to get into that and rig the results.
“I think it would be very hard to mess with that,” she said.
Poll workers bring her the zip drives, whether that is in Wellington or in the county’s rural areas.
There have been some elections in Sumner County that have been close, but even after votes are canvased a few days after the elections, no results have been overturned.
She said she is thankful that there have been smooth elections in the county.
Sumner County is using the same equipment it has used for several years and so far it has not had any problems.
