The Biggest U.S. Voting Machine Manufacturer Is Worried About Election Security
As the 2020 elections keep looming on the horizon, concern over voting security is only growing. Multiple bills to improve and tighten election security have stalled in the Senate, but they've all been blocked by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who insists that the 2018 election are evidence that no further action is required. "Thanks to efforts across the federal government, in 2018, we were ready," he said in prepared remarks in May.
At least one industry doesn't have McConnell's confidence: voting machine manufacturers. Election Systems & Software, the biggest election equipment manufacturer in the country, has been "quietly lobbying Congress" to require all voting equipment to produce paper records. It's a surprising about-face for an industry that's been selling paper-free, difficult to audit machines for years. Per CNN:
"There's a big recognition today that auditing is important, and to do a proper audit you need a piece of paper," Kathy Rogers, Election Systems & Software senior vice president of government relations, told CNN. "I'll tell you it's a decision that came at a cost. We've lost a few sales because of it. But we think it's the right thing to do," Rogers said.
Without paper records, there are very few ways to audit and verify contested elections. Georgia is currently poised to become the first state to rely entirely on electronic ballots, a move that's being pushed by current Governor Brian Kemp who oversaw his own 2018 election as secretary of state, something many critics called an obvious conflict of interest.
Of course, Election Systems & Software has a strong financial incentive to push for updating its machines and systems. As CNN points out, the state of South Carolina just signed a $51 million contract with the company. But as reporter Ryan Grim wrote on Twitter, "When the biggest voting machine company tells you we should have paper ballot backups because they’re too vulnerable to a hack, maybe it’s time to listen."
Originally Appeared on GQ
