Mon. Nov. 3: Security at the Renton facility

King County’s new consolidated facility was designed for maximum ballot security. The building was gutted and re-designed with consultation from national elections experts, best practices and casino security experts.

Some of the security features of the new 94,000 square facility include:

• A single, enclosed and transparent ballot processing and counting floor.
• A secured observation loop around the entire ballot counting floor for the public to view the process without the need for an escort.
• An open floor plan, designed to accommodate a manual, countywide recount
• Key card access control throughout the facility for regular and temporary employees, observers and the public, biometric controls (such as fingerprint scans) for access in highly secured areas.
• The building has no wireless internet capabilities.
• All staff, observers, the public and media who visit must be credentialed and wear a badge at all times. Armed sheriff deputies guard the entrance to the ballot counting floor from the time ballots are processed until certification.
• 59 security cameras are located throughout our building, recording all activity. They are monitored 24 hours a day.