logo
Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
Brief Publisher Logo
FACT BRIEF

Do electronic voting systems continue to pose election-security risks?

By Eric Smith
Copy link
email
Copy featured image
email
YES

Cybersecurity expert J. Alex Halderman has found that the electronic voting systems many states and counties use are susceptible to hacking from outside actors. Entirely electronic systems that don't use paper ballots as a "physical fail-safe" against outside interference have no 100% reliable way of avoiding tampering.

Journalist Kim Zetter highlights the persistent vulnerabilities of electronic voting systems since their introduction in 2000, when computer scientists warned of software bugs and security vulnerabilities. Hackers can easily write code that causes machines to display one vote on screen while recording a different vote on their memory cards. Zetter recommends federal legislation that mandates "post-election risk-limiting audits."

The American Academy for the Advancement of Science warns Internet voting remains insecure, recommending paper ballots.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
GBH: Relying on electronic voting machines puts us at risk, security expert says
Texas National Security Review: Fixing democracy—the election security crisis and solutions for mending it
AAAS: Voting technology and security
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
FACT BRIEF BY
Brief Publisher Logo
Latest fact briefs
facebook
twitter
email
email
About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.