Voting trust and how Dominion machines work

Alex Taylor

Contributing Writer

As election season is upon us, the conversation surrounding voting and election security arises once again. Many Americans vote using paper ballots, but states such as Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Colorado, New York and Texas use electronic voting machines made by the software company Dominion Voting Systems. 

As stated on the Dominion website, “We are constantly investing in the development of technology that continues to set our products apart from the competition. Dominion’s core technology focuses on the two key aspects of the electoral process–accuracy and transparency, while remaining nimble enough to meet the needs of any-sized election.”

While the discussion of election security was at an all-time high after the 2020 election, it has intensified again because of recent events involving ballot drop boxes that were set on fire. According to Lisa Hagen, a reporter for NPR, “In the final stretch before Election Day, ballots have been set on fire and damaged in two ballot drop boxes and a Postal Service mailbox in three states. Federal officials have warned that in recent months, some social media users have encouraged sabotage of ballot drop boxes.”

This kind of activity raised some concerns about the integrity of the voting process. Some incidents like these are isolated, but in this case, according to Forbes Molly Bohannon, “The suspect behind ballot drop box fires in Washington and Oregon earlier this week may be planning more attacks and has metalworking experience, officials warned Wednesday–the latest update on the police investigation into the fires that burned more than 400 ballots.” 

While the voting process was already under scrutiny, this just worsens the situation and increases distrust among Americans, which can discourage people from voting or create uncertainty about the election process. 

The United States Election Assistance Commission states on the election security page on their website, “The security of voting systems is essential to a trustworthy election. Every state and local jurisdiction utilizes common-sense procedures and tools to safeguard the voting process. Common best practices include locks, tamper-evident seals, security cameras, system testing before and after elections, audits, and physical and cybersecurity access controls.”