Current Events #8 (MP2 #4)

     In recent years elections have been held with some form of electronic involvement in ballot counting. Some states have the voter fill a paper ballot out and feed into a machine to be counted whereas in others voters use a machine to choose their candidates while internally the machine punches in a ballot. The use of electronics make counting votes a bit easier and allow for results to be received fast but ever since the 2016 election, controversial not only for the candidates but for interference from Russia, there has been concern about the security of these machines.

     One type of electronic ballot used in many states uses an internal cellular modem to transmit results. While the results are fast the security is questionable. The machines being connected to a cellular network makes them overlap with wireless networks. This increases the chances a hacker can interfere with early results. As a matter of fact, hackers could use a portable cell phone tower to intercept data and introduce malicious algorithms, that could do things such as flipping the votes, by connecting to the Internet linked cellular network. Even if the results are corrected later on the interference of the results will create mistrust among voters. Some say that there is no need to worry about these possibilities since there are checks in places to keep the results safe. Reid Magney, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Election Committee, says that the results are encrypted and use security keys so computers can authenticate them. On the other hand many advocates of voting security say that the capabilities of malicious hackers are often underestimated by election officials and since American elections are becoming subject to more targeting by malicious groups it is important to take all measures towards a secure elections. There are more than 1000 cellular enabled machines in use throughout the states and as the Midterm Election nears concerns grow these machines could be used for sinister purposes.
     My personal reflection is that election officials shouldn't underestimate hacker groups. After the 2016 General Election it is important to take into account outside forces want to alter our elections to benefit themselves. While we have only proven in 2016 Russians have used social media to influence the election we shouldn't rule out any capabilities they could have to tinker with the election systems themselves, including electronic ballots. When it comes to something as important as elections, events that can decide the direction our nation takes in the future, it is better to be safe than sorry. If electronic ballots cannot be guaranteed to be secure paper ballots should be used and the media should be present at the counting to make sure there was no tampering, just like how the British count ballots every time there is a Parliamentary election. Until an electronic ballot system can be made secure another securer system of ballot counting should be used, especially with an election as important as the upcoming Midterm.


Works Cited:

Johnson, Tim "Are wireless voting machines venerable? Some states say they're safe" 18 Oct 2018. Web 4 Nov 2018.

<https://newsela.com/read/midterms-voting-machines/id/46823>