Early voting has begun across Arizona, and with the arrival of ballots comes questions about how our elections work and the safeguards in place.

I recently toured the Maricopa County Tabulation & Elections Center (MCTEC), the facility where machinery is stored and ballots are collected and counted. We learned about the multiple layers of security procedures in place to safeguard the vote, heard how election workers are trained in signature verification for mail-in ballots, and had a direct Q&A session with the county Elections Director. No question was off-limits.

There’s so much misinformation about Arizona elections. Many voters may not be aware:

• Arizona requires every voter to provide valid ID when registering to vote, and to prove their identity at the polls
• Our state utilizes paper ballots and conducts post-election recounts and audits for accuracy
• No tabulation machine is ever connected to the Internet
• Multiple live video feeds from MCTEC are available to the public, allowing viewers to see what’s happening behind-the-scenes
• Poll workers and ballot-processing observers come from across the political spectrum, including Republicans, Democrats, independents and more

Cameras are rolling. Oversight mechanisms are engaged. And representatives of the political parties are watching closely.

I toured MCTEC as part of a local group – Pillars of the Community – that has community members from all political perspectives and walks of life, including businesspeople like me. When there isn’t an election underway, the Maricopa County Elections Department hosts regular tours of MCTEC so anyone can see for themselves how the system works and what protections are in place to ensure honest, accurate results.

I did that, and I encourage you to do the same.

The current dispute about election responsibilities between the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and the County Recorder has generated headlines and, understandably, public concern. That dispute is real and its resolution matters.

But this issue should not be confused with the integrity of the election itself.

Regardless of how the disagreement is resolved, Arizona elections go on. The professionals of the Elections Department and Recorder’s Office, and the dedicated poll workers who staff vote centers, are doing their jobs. A multitude of protections are in place to safeguard the vote.

Early voting has begun. Your vote is being protected. Go cast it with confidence.

Eric Luoma is a member of Pillars of the Community, a bipartisan group that seeks to learn about and educate the public regarding election procedures. Eric owns Cactus Flower Florists.