Accuracy testing of state voting machines is underway ahead of next month’s elections. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon was in St. Louis Park today to observe such a test. He says it’s “an important part of Minnesota election law. We have these public accuracy tests before every election, and it’s an opportunity for members of the public, the media and anyone interested to put the machines through the paces or watch people who do that, to ask questions, to kick the tires, so to speak.” And, Simon adds, testing is also “an important way for the public to have even more confidence than it already does in the transparency of the system, and the honesty and fundamental competence of our system.” Simon says there are 4,100 polling places in Minnesota, and it requires more than 30,000 election judges to “put on an election in this state.” Simon says in terms of security, Minnesota is in good shape heading into the November 6th election. That’s in part due to Minnesota’s paper balloting, which Simon says is “hard to hack.”