What Happened?
State and local election officials in 31 states are asking for their outdated or “inadequate” voting equipment to be replaced before the 2020 presidential primaries, according to the Associated Press.
The AP reported, however, that a recent report showed that time and money are running out for these states as it can take months to decide on replacement machines, receive funding and test the new equipment.
According to the Associated Press, states received $380 million in election security grants last year, but it will not be enough to replace the voting machines for all states in time for the next election.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, seven states, including Georgia, are currently using outdated and discontinued models of voting machines across all counties. Only six states presently use machines still manufactured in all jurisdictions. The remaining 37 states have at least one county with a discontinued machine.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials have said that paper records are necessary to secure the nation’s elections, the AP reported.
In Georgia, lawmakers are considering replacing the state’s paperless machines.
In Context
In 2016, Russian hackers are alleged to have been responsible for targeting voting systems in the United States. The AP reported that the U.S. intelligence community has said that there is no evidence that any votes were changed, but there is a considerable danger created by foreign governments looking to undermine U.S. elections.
According to the AP, experts have stated that states using electronic voting machines across all jurisdictions are vulnerable to being hacked. These machines do not provide a paper record for voters to verify their choices before they cast their ballot.
Efforts to send election security funds to states have been unsuccessful despite gaining bipartisan support, according to the Associated Press.
Multiple states are proposing to set aside money in an effort to replace their machines before the next election, the AP reported.
