With early voting for Ohio’s May primary now underway, voters across the state are casting ballots under the supervision of bipartisan, locally run boards of elections.

Ohioans are not going to agree on every candidate, party or issue. That is normal. But we ought to be able to agree on this: Elections should be run fairly, openly and according to the law. Public confidence in that process matters.

Confidence in elections comes from the people and procedures that make lawful voting possible. In all 88 counties, elections are administered locally by bipartisan boards made up of both Republicans and Democrats. No one party controls the system. Decisions are made close to home, in public view and with accountability to the people those boards serve. That local, bipartisan structure is one of the strengths of Ohio’s election system.

That system is supported by clear rules and practical safeguards. Voter rolls are maintained under the law. Voting equipment is tested before use. Ballots are secured and tracked. Poll workers are trained. Results are reviewed through certification procedures meant to catch errors and confirm accuracy.

Of course, no system is perfect. There is always room for improvement, and reforms that strengthen security and public confidence should be taken seriously. But there is a difference between improving election administration and trying to discredit it with claims that are not backed up by facts.

When public figures say the system is broken without evidence, they make it harder for citizens to trust the process and easier for people to doubt lawful outcomes.

Voters deserve better. They deserve honesty about how elections are run and confidence that lawful results will be respected. And the public servants on local boards of elections across the state, who carry out this work carefully and professionally, deserve respect as well.

No party is blameless when it comes to comments that undermine faith in our system. Public officials of both parties should hold themselves to a high standard when it comes to protecting election integrity. All of us have a responsibility to hold one another accountable.

At the Democracy Defense Project, our board includes both Republicans and Democrats. We do not agree on every political question. But we do agree on this: Confidence in elections should not be a partisan issue.

As voting gets underway, Ohioans should take part with confidence. Make a plan to cast your ballot and encourage your neighbors to do the same. When the votes are counted according to law, respect the outcome.

That is how trust is built. That is how our democratic republic should work. And that is how Ohio can continue to set an example for the country.