A top official in President Donald Trump’s Justice Department recently sought access to voting equipment used by two Republican clerks in Missouri during the 2020 election, an unusual request from federal officials amid continued efforts by the president to malign the integrity of the nation’s voting systems.
Trump overwhelmingly won each of his three elections in Missouri, yet many of his supporters there and elsewhere continue to champion the president’s false claim that voting equipment was rigged against him in 2020 and that ballots should be tallied by hand. The Trump administration, working with an intermediary, previously sought access to voting equipment in Colorado, but the effort in Missouri appears to originate directly from the Justice Department.
The two Missouri clerks rejected the request from Andrew “Mac” Warner, a top official in the Justice Department’s civil rights division and a former West Virginia secretary of state who has embraced false claims about the 2020 election. One of the clerks cited state statutes that restrict who can access voting equipment, and the other told Warner he no longer has the Dominion Voting Systems equipment he was looking for.
“They wanted to test a machine that was used during the 2020 election,” Jasper County Clerk Charlie Davis said in an interview last week with The Washington Post. “I just told him we upgraded our machines. Our vendor has all of the old machines so we don’t have access.”.
Days later, Davis got a call from his friend Jay Ashcroft, who oversaw the 2020 and 2024 elections as Missouri’s secretary of state. Ashcroft did not describe his interest in the machines, or whether he was working with federal authorities, Davis recalled. Ashcroft, the son of former U.S. attorney general John Ashcroft, urged Davis to cooperate with the Justice Department and wondered if he would change his mindif he was given a replacement machine, according to Davis. Davis told him he no longer had the equipment….
Category Archives: voting technology
Georgia: “Republican lawmakers push for hand-marked ballots in November election”
Key Georgia lawmakers Tuesday called for a rapid test-run of hand-marked paper ballots in this year’s elections, switching from touchscreens in some polling places.
The rush to try paper ballots filled out by hand follows mounting pressure from President Donald Trump, conservatives and election security activists who oppose electronic voting touchscreens.
A switch would comply with part of a state law passed last year requiring the elimination of computerized QR codes from ballots by July 1, 2026.ExploreGeorgia’s next voting system? Senators seek paper ballots filled out by hand
Two House Republican committee chairmen stressed “the urgency of the matter” in a letter to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
“It is imperative to begin testing viable alternativesto the continued use of QR-coded ballots,” wrote House Governmental Affairs Chairman Victor Anderson, R-Cornelia, and House elections study committee Chairman Tim Fleming, R-Covington.
Under their proposal, Raffensperger would ask counties and cities to voluntarily participate in the trial of hand-marked paper ballots during the election for Public Service Commission on Nov. 4.
Raffensperger has defended the security and accuracy of Georgia’s voting system, saying audits repeatedly show Georgia’s vote counts are correct. But he didn’t immediately comment Tuesday on the lawmakers’ request….
Brennan & R Street: “A State Agenda for Election Security and Resistance”
New report by Derek Tisler of Brennan Center & Chris McIsaac of R Street Institute:
Election resiliency is about making sure that attacks and other disruptive incidents do not impede voters from casting ballots nor prevent election workers from counting every ballot and certifying a complete and accurate count. While resiliency is top of mind for election officials, they cannot go it alone. Both the complexity of election administration and the global threat environment necessitate an all-hands-on-deck effort, with contributions from leaders across state governments. Lawmakers must set baseline security requirements and provide election officials with sufficient funding to run secure elections. Governors can direct state officials to contribute expertise, training, and resources. Law enforcement can deter attacks and hold perpetrators accountable. And all public leaders can clearly express that threats against election workers and systems will not be tolerated.
This report recommends steps that state leaders should take to strengthen the resiliency of election infrastructure. Its recommendations are informed by leading models that already exist in states but also recognize that the right approach is likely to vary by state. This report encourages a layered approach, as individual recommendations build on one another to safeguard security. And above all else, this report emphasizes the importance of planning and coordination to deter, prevent, detect, and respond to attacks on elections.
(This post was corrected to note that McIsaac is of R Street Institute, not Brennan Center, and that the report is from both organizations.)
“DOJ hits states with broad requests for voter rolls, election data”
Washington Post reports:
The Trump administration and its allies have launched a multipronged effort to gather data on voters and inspect voting equipment, sparking concern among local and state election officials about federal interference ahead ofthe 2026 midterms.
The most unusual activity is happening in Colorado — a state that then-candidate Donald Trump lost by 11 points — where a well-connected consultant who says he is working with the White House is asking county clerks whether they will allow the federal government or a third party to physically examine their election equipment….
Separately, the Justice Department has taken the unusual step of asking at least nine states for copies of their voter rolls, and at least two have turned them over, according to state officials.
In addition, two DOJ lawyers have asked states to share information about voters to implement a Trump executive order that would shift some power over elections from the states to Washington….
The administration’s efforts, fueled by Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, have rattled state and local election officials from both parties who have spent years contending with threats, harassment and litigation…. Election officials fear the administration could try to build a national file that includes personal information about voters or impose rules that would boot eligible voters from the rolls and make it harder to cast ballots.
Local election officials warily eyeing the EAC’s action on voting systems guidelines
Votebeat’s weekly newsletter reports on the upcoming meeting of the EAC’s Technical Guidelines Development Committee, and some local anxiety about whether plans are in the works to change direction on voluntary voting systems guidelines, in line with the President’s (unlawful) direction in Executive Order 14248.
FWIW, it looks to me like the EAC is at least thus far dotting “i”s and crossing “t”s through a careful, deliberate, process — relying on the expertise of its technical advisory boards, as required by statute — as it tries to navigate some fraught political waters.
“Cyberattacks shake voters’ trust in elections, regardless of party”
Ryan Shandler, Anthony DeMattee, and Bruce Schneier in The Conversation, report results of a recent study showing the impact of information about cyberattacks — even cyberattacks unrelated to the election process — on trust in elections. And they’re clear-eyed about the benefits of technology (“No one misses the hanging chads of 2000”), so the remedy isn’t “less tech” but “more public education.”
Alabama touts first-in-the-nation security emblem on ballots
Plenty of states use features like watermarks on most official ballot papers (sometimes with express exceptions for ballots submitted by overseas citizens and voters with disabilities), but Alabama says it’s the first with security emblems invisible to the human eye and detectable only with specialized equipment. (I guess we’re not counting Cochise’s lapsed pilot program…)
I’m not aware of a known problem with counterfeit paper ballots, though the notion has certainly featured in some past conspiracy theories. I’m all for advances in ballot design that don’t limit access. But I do wonder whether a program with security features that are specifically designed not to be visible to anyone but the government will be received by the more conspiracy-minded.
Defamation Verdict Against Mike Lindell
AP News: Federal jury in Colorado finds MyPillow founder, Mike Lindell, liable for “statements made about Eric Coomer, the former security and product strategy director at Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems, including calling him a traitor.” Jury awards Commer “$2.3 million in damages, far less than the $62.7 million Coomer had asked for to help send a message to discourage attacks on election workers.”
“He [Lindell] said he used to be worth about $60 million before he started speaking out about the 2020 election and is now $10 million in debt.”
ES&S Responds to NYDN Editorial Against Its Voting Machine
In response to the New York Daily News editorial that I linked to, ES&S sends along this reply:
Paper ballots? Yes!
By Tierra Williams, ES&S Regional Manager, New York
It’s true: good old paper remains the best way to run secure, foolproof elections. That’s why every single voting system ES&S makes, including the ExpressVote XL, produces a paper record that can be audited and verified.
For years, a small but vocal group of skeptics have repeated the same tired refrain about the ExpressVote XL, a voting machine made by my company, claiming it’s hackable, insecure, and unverifiable. Those claims are simply not true, and we believe New Yorkers deserve a full and accurate picture.
The ExpressVote XL relies on paper. Voters make their selections on a 32-inch touchscreen, then those selections are printed on a paper ballot for tabulation. That same paper record is used for auditing, as well. Post-election audits consistently demonstrate the paper records match what the XL reports.
Baseless and inaccurate claims about the XL are nothing new. They have been debunked time and again, including in courts of law. New York and Pennsylvania courts have dismissed or ruled against “baseless and irrational” attacks on this proven technology. The XL is backed by independent research, and hundreds of real elections with millions of ballots cast accurately and securely have consistently shown these speculations to be false.
The XL is tried and tested. Proven and trusted. Voters in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Delaware have relied on it since 2019. In New York, voters in Monroe County led the way in adopting it, and county commissioners say the XLs are getting rave reviews. Poll workers report that the system is easy to set up and manage. Voters say they love how easy it is to use and that it’s easy to check their selections on the paper ballot.
Critics often claim the system is “unverifiable” by voters, but the facts say otherwise. Every single voter can review their selections before casting the paper record. Voters control their selections with the XL. As mandated by New York law, the ExpressVote XL provides the voter “an opportunity to privately and independently verify votes selected and the ability to privately and independently change such votes or correct any error before the ballot is cast and counted.”
The XL combines the best of both worlds: the security of paper and the accessibility of a touchscreen interface. ALL voters—including those with sight, reading, or other physical impairments—can vote independently and confidently. Everybody votes on the same device. This voting experience also eliminates voter mistakes like stray marks or indecipherable selections—which can result in a contest or an entire ballot to not be counted—ensuring ballots are counted as the voter intended.
Long lines? To the contrary. The XL has been praised for its speed and ease of use. Voters enjoy a fast, private voting experience—around 80 seconds on average, and sometimes as quick as 20 seconds.
And what about hacking? Nope. Researchers at New York’s Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) conducted a 10-day penetration test and couldn’t find a single way to hack the results of a real-world election. Not one. In fact, the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE) had two technology companies independently validate the quality, accuracy and security of the system.
So why do false claims continue to surface? We honestly don’t know. Perhaps because change is hard or it’s easy to distrust something unfamiliar. The good news is there are thousands of voters to listen to about the XL—voters who have tried it, tested it, and trusted it. We think more New Yorkers should be able to experience that feeling as well. And we think naysayers attacking a voting system that has consistently performed well and passed every test of security and accessibility are doing a disservice to every voter in New York.
NYSBOE made the right call certifying the ExpressVote XL. The system meets and exceeds the rigorous federal testing standards established by the EAC—the same standards required by New York for certification.
We love paper. We also love saving jurisdictions millions of dollars they would otherwise spend on preprinted ballots that never get voted on and have to be thrown away every single election. In Monroe County alone, the Board of Elections said the new machines will save about a quarter of a million dollars each election year.
It’s time to stop the nonsense. And it’s time to trust what works. Let’s give voters the tools they need to vote securely, confidently, and independently—and move forward together in strengthening, not undermining, our democratic process.
“Real paper ballots are a must: N.Y. needs to get rid of touchscreen voting machines”
This afternoon a state appellate panel in Albany is hearing a case to reinstate a good government group lawsuit against the state Board of Elections for wrongly allowing new voting machines that dispense with the indispensable needed for a secure franchise: paper ballots.
Yes, good old paper is the best and only way to have foolproof elections. It is something that Donald Trump has long insisted on and he is entirely correct. Unlike computers, paper can’t be hacked.
Following the 2000 Bush/Gore debacle in Florida, a joint MIT/Caltech review concluded that paper ballots filled out by voters and fed by voters in scanning machines was the optimal method. If there is a problem or a close contest, just open up the machines and hand count the paper. That is now the law in New York.
The new gizmo, called the ExpressVote XL, is made by the same firm that manufactures the scanning machines now used by New York City and many other counties in the state, Election Systems & Software. But while we like the ES&S scanners, we vote thumbs down on the ExpressVote XL…
“Wisconsin Elections Commission: Small communities don’t need permission to stop using voting machines”
From Wisconsin Public Radio:
The Wisconsin Elections Commission says small communities don’t need the state’s permission to stop using electronic voting machines, siding with a northwestern Wisconsin town that switched to hand-counted, paper ballots last year.
The WEC decision means municipalities still must make at least one electronic voting machine available at polling places for voters with disabilities.
“Controversial voting machine gaining use in NY elections”
Per the Times-Union, the controversy with the ES&S ExpressVote XL is the barcode used to tally results (which also drew the ire of President Trump’s executive order on elections, though the purported mandate with respect to voting machines is quite likely unlawful).
Notably, the story includes bipartisan praise for the systems from the Monroe County commissioners authorizing the purchase.
“Trump’s order seeks to force states to buy costly new voting machines”
President Donald Trump’s plan to overhaul elections could hurl 2026 into turmoil by forcing states to hand-count ballots or scramble to spend millions of dollars on voting systems that aren’t yet on the market, according to election officials and voting experts.
If put into effect, his recent executive order attempting to transform elections could make it impossible for some states to use voting machines, election experts said. No voting systems are commercially available that meet the standards the president put forward in his executive order. Election officials broadly oppose hand-counting ballots as an alternative because the practice is time-consuming and prone to errors.
If Trump’s plan ever comes to fruition, it could hit taxpayers hard. Outfitting every state with new machines could cost $1 billion or more.
“It will create chaos in the states, and it seems almost designed to create chaos,” said David Becker, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation and Research.
Trump’s order, however, probably won’t be implemented anytime soon. Scholars say he has exceeded his authority by claiming powers he doesn’t have, and his order drew five lawsuits from state officials, Democrats and voting rights groups….
“There is not yet a single system out there that satisfies that standard that is commercially available,” said Lawrence Norden, vice president of elections and government at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.
“Trump Weakens U.S. Cyberdefenses at a Moment of Rising Danger”
When President Trump abruptly fired the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command on Thursday, it was the latest in a series of moves that have torn away at the country’s cyberdefenses just as they are confronting the most sophisticated and sustained attacks in the nation’s history.
The commander, General Timothy D. Haugh, had sat atop the enormous infrastructure of American cyberdefenses until his removal, apparently under pressure from the far-right Trump loyalist Laura Loomer. He had been among the American officials most deeply involved in pushing back on Russia, dating to his work countering Moscow’s interference in the 2016 election.
His dismissal came after weeks in which the Trump administration swept away nearly all of the government’s election-related cyberdefenses beyond the secure N.S.A. command centers at Fort Meade, Md. At the same time, the administration has shrunk much of the nation’s complex early-warning system for cyberattacks, a web through which tech firms work with the F.B.I. and intelligence agencies to protect the power grid, pipelines and telecommunications networks.
Cybersecurity experts, election officials and lawmakers — mostly Democrats but a few Republicans — have begun to raise alarms that the United States is knocking down a system that, while still full of holes, has taken a decade to build. It has pushed out some of its most experienced cyberdefenders and fired younger talent brought in to design defenses against a wave of ransomware, Chinese intrusions and vulnerabilities created by artificial intelligence….