EDINBURG – The Hidalgo County Elections Department started testing out new voting machines ahead of the upcoming election season.

The logic and accuracy test examines if the touchscreens on the machines are working properly and that every ballot was accurately tabulated.

During the election season, registered voters will get an individual access code. Once the ballot is completed and cast, election organizers said votes should see an American flag on their screen.

April Vargas with the elections department said it’s important voters make sure they complete the voting process before leaving the polling location.

“Let’s say that somebody walked away without pressing the vote button, we are not allowed to press vote by law for them,” she explained. “We don’t know if they just didn’t want to vote or if they forgot to press the vote button, so we would cancel their vote on the machine if we can’t find them.”

Vargas said audits help ensure all votes were accurately cast. She said she reviews the votes daily before the polls open during an election period.

The department also said ballots on each monitor are stored through a USB as a backup security measure.