Before a single ballot is cast in the August 4, 2026 Primary and Special Election, Whatcom County election workers will run a test to make sure the voting system counts correctly. The official Logic and Accuracy test is scheduled for July 1, 2026, at 2:00 pm at the Whatcom County Election Center inside the Courthouse at 311 Grand Avenue, Suite B03 in Bellingham. The public is welcome to observe.
The Logic and Accuracy test, commonly called an L&A test, is a standard pre-election procedure required for all Washington counties. The Whatcom County Auditor's Office election staff conducts the test by processing a stack of test ballots with a predetermined outcome through the voting system's scanning and tabulation equipment. If the system reports the same results that election workers know to be correct, the equipment is cleared for use in the actual election. If discrepancies appear, they must be resolved before voting begins.
The test covers all candidates and measures that will appear on the August ballot, ensuring the system is properly configured for the specific races and questions voters will see. Washington's vote-by-mail system means ballots are counted by optical scanners, and the L&A test verifies that those scanners are reading marks correctly and that the tabulation software is allocating votes to the right races and candidates.
Washington State has required pre-election logic and accuracy testing for decades, and the process is one of several overlapping safeguards built into the state's election administration system. Post-election audits, hand-count verification processes, and chain-of-custody procedures for ballots and equipment complement the L&A test as part of a broader security framework. The Washington Secretary of State's Office provides oversight of county election procedures statewide.
Public observation of the L&A test is explicitly encouraged by Whatcom County. The ability for members of the public, including candidates, campaign representatives, and interested voters, to watch the test is part of how election transparency is maintained at the local level. Observers cannot participate in or interfere with the test, but they can watch the process and ask questions of election staff after the test is complete.
The August 4, 2026 Primary will include races for county, state, and potentially federal offices depending on which seats are up in this cycle. Special election measures, if any are on the ballot, will also be tested. Residents who receive their voter registration cards and sample ballots by mail will have advance notice of exactly what races and measures they will be voting on.
Those who plan to attend the July 1 L&A test can contact the Whatcom County Elections Division in advance at 360-778-5102 or by email at elections@whatcomcounty.us. Walk-in observation is also welcome on the day of the test. The Election Center is accessible from the Grand Avenue entrance to the Courthouse.
For context on other civic participation opportunities in Whatcom County this summer, including a public meeting on the county's Hazard Mitigation Plan, the June emergency briefing has details on upcoming public input sessions.
