How Georgia tracks voting machines before you vote: Chain of custody explained

ATLANTA, Ga. — Before you ever check in to vote, the equipment you’ll use is already tracked on paper through what election officials call chain of custody.Under State Election Board Rules in Chapter 183-1-12, counties must securely store and transport ballot markers and scanners, maintain numbered seals on the machines with seal numbers on file, and complete chain-of-custody forms when equipment and voted ballots are transferred.The safeguard is the seal. Election workers record seal numbers and verify them against logs when machines are put into service, opened or closed.If a seal is damaged, missing or doesn’t match the record, that triggers review by election officials under seal and security procedures, which can include pulling that machine from service.The final check belongs to voters. After marking choices on the touchscreen, the machine prints a paper ballot. Voters should read it, and if names don’t match their choices, tell a poll worker — the ballot can be spoiled and repl