All Minnesota counties and municipalities must conduct "public accuracy tests" at least three days before voting equipment is used in an election, according to state law. This helps to ensure that Minnesota's elections are "free, fair, secure and accurate," according to the Secretary of State's website.

While there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the last presidential election here in Minnesota, these tests have taken on a heightened sense of urgency as some members of the public question the veracity of election results, particularly after former President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. That sentiment will likely continue in this election on Nov. 5.

An overwhelming majority of Minnesotans are confident that votes will be counted accurately in the November presidential election, according to the latest Star Tribune/MPR News/KARE 11 Minnesota Poll. About 50% of likely voters said they were highly confident there will be an accurate count, and another 29% reported moderate confidence.

But there are partisan differences. Ninety-nine percent of Democrats and 73% of independents said they were confident that votes will be counted accurately. Among Republican poll respondents, 60% said they were confident in an accurate count while about 40% reported having low or no confidence.

Star Tribune journalists recently watched public accuracy tests in Hennepin County and in Minneapolis. These tests are also open to the public. The tests essentially document how voting machines respond to various scenarios, including ballots that were intentionally marked with mistakes.

The results are in: The tests showed the machines were 100% accurate.