GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The 2024 November election is coming up fast and the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder's Office invited Colorado Mesa University students to tour the facility.
The open house comes as news broke of 12 fraudulent ballots being found during the state's signature verification process.
"We've been really working diligently to make sure that we keep the integrity of the investigation," said Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Bobbie Gross. "It's ongoing and we're just trying to work through the process."
CMU Political Science Professor Tim Casey says, "Trust is the most important thing in democracy," adding that "having students come in and see how carefully they count the ballots, the levels of security, the redundancy and the double check in the system really helps build social trust."
CMU student Samuel Seitz says the open house is a chance to learn more about what goes on after you turn in your ballot and the steps taken to ensure a fair and free election.
"Seeing this process, I do not feel as if the elections are at risk, but I do feel as if public perception is at risk, which is why we need more people in here."
Click here for a list of ballot drop-off locations.