Wednesday, August 2, 2017

It Seems Pressing that We should Consider New Voting Machines

  Utah invited some of its voters to try out various election machines on the market, with an eye toward buying new equipment. Security, the state suggested, is a priority.
  I think it wonderful the state is considering security. With the threat our election machinery could be compromised unveiled by the 2016 election, it is probably wise to consider whether new equipment would help.
   Why not call up the experts and ask them which company offers the safest machine? I'd call up J. Alex Halderman, the computer scientist who called for the recounts and who was an expert witness before a senate select committee. He has suggested avoiding machines with paperless ballots. He has also suggested having optical scanners. And, he has also suggested that cybersecurity best practices be applied in the design of voting equipment. Why not ask him which, if any, makers are doing this, and which one is doing the best? And, if there are best practices still to be implemented, tell the voting machine makers you are going to wait and buy from a company that will add these best practices.
   In light of the 2016 election, it seems rather pressing that the most secure voting machines be used. Every county in the nation should be considering if the equipment currently in use is the best, or whether they should go with different machines.

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