CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Clarion County Commissioners addressed the issue of election security with the following statement:

With the November elections just a few days away, Clarion County wants to reassure our residents that we have the utmost confidence that our voting systems are secure and that your vote will be properly counted.

A recent nationwide poll showed nearly 80 percent of Americans are at least somewhat concerned that the nation’s voting systems might be vulnerable to hackers. However, Clarion County’s voting machines do not – and cannot – connect to the internet in any way and there is nothing to suggest our machines have ever been tampered with.

All of our county’s 135 voting machines are maintained by a strict, documented chain of custody from beginning to end. Before each election, the machines are programmed, tested and sealed. We will continue to maintain the strictest security standards for our elections to make sure every vote is accurately counted.

These steps are only a few of the security efforts our county is constantly taking to protect the fundamental basis of our democracy – free, fair and accurate elections.

If you have questions or would like to learn more about how Clarion County is working to protect your vote, or if you have any other questions about the upcoming election, please contact our county election office at 814-226-4000 Ext. 2006.