Public Forum Held on Election Integrity and Transparency in Oconee and Pickens Counties

Top election officials from Oconee and Pickens counties acknowledge that skepticism about the accuracy of the country’s elections persists following the 2020 presidential vote. However, they express confidence in the accuracy, security, and accessibility of local elections.

A public forum was held by the League of Women Voters in Clemson on Tuesday evening, focusing on these aspects of elections. Five election officials from the two counties participated in the forum. Kristi Burr and Jim Murray represented Oconee County, while Cary Kaye, Jim Liddle, and Dr. Amy Sams represented Pickens County.

Kristi Burr, the director of elections for Oconee County, revealed that audits are a common practice in 21st-century elections and that election offices regularly receive recommendations from the Department of Homeland Security.

Dr. Amy Sams, Burr’s counterpart in Pickens County, explained that much of the voting process is transparent to the public, with a few exceptions such as the computer codes used to verify the accuracy of voting machines and vote tabulation equipment.

According to Sams, the secrecy of these codes is as important as keeping a private citizen’s personal banking information confidential.