Safeguards, oversight ensures elections are fair and accurate -- despite what some claim

Over the years, I've covered a few elections – probably more than I'd like to remember.

Back in the day, we didn't get the wall-to-wall commercials slinging mud or the daily update on what the polls say.

But one thing hasn't changed – elections are maybe the most observed, double checked and overseen functions of government.

Vote counting machines are double- and triple-checked. Each political party employs "poll watchers" to make sure there's no hanky panky and the boards that count and receive ballots consist of both political parties. There's dozens of regulations to follow.

And, officials...