How Secure Is Your Vote?

The midterm elections are commencing and will determine who will control congress come November. Most voters go to the polls thinking about the candidates they’re going to vote for and the issues they care about, but pay no mind to the equipment they’re using to vote. But these machines could determine how secure your vote is for the midterm elections.

Voting machines around the country are reaching the end of their lifespan, including in Ohio, which is a key swing state. And they’re not only old — they also pose a potential security risk and have been hacked on several occasions. All of Ohio’s voting machines were also tested in a 2007 comprehensive security study called the EVEREST Report, which concluded that “all of the studied systems possess critical security failures.” Since then not a single voting machine has been decertified.

Some Ohio officials like State Senator Frank LaRose have suggested getting new voting equipment, but the cost could have huge impact on the state. Several voters have also indicated that they would be more comfortable using a paper ballot that they mark themselves, as opposed to filling the it out electronically.

State Representative Kathleen Clyde has introduced legislation that would require paper ballots for voting, which would hopefully ensure a safer, less hackable system. With so much at stake for the midterm elections, it’s more important than ever that votes are tallied safely and fairly.