The state of our current voting infrastructure is not just a concern; it's a crisis that even the most Leftist organizations agree on. If all voting equipment had to be replaced tomorrow, estimates suggest a staggering cost between $1 billion and $3 billion. With these systems having a maximum shelf life of ten years, the annualized costs of renewing voting equipment would range from $100 million to $300 million.
However, cybersecurity experts have warned that these systems are obsolete within as little as 2-4 years due to insufficient security patch capabilities. In reality, most electronic voting systems should have been retired and recycled many election cycles ago.
Even more alarming, cybersecurity experts have proven that any electronic device, regardless of its location or network connection, is vulnerable to remote access. A device plugged into a wall can be hacked through the copper wire. This means that any foreign or domestic bad actor can manipulate an election from the comfort of their car in the parking lot near a polling station. The origin of the equipment and parts, whether made in the USA or not, is irrelevant in the face of such vulnerabilities!
The financial implications of this reality are staggering. Investing billions into equipment that rapidly becomes outdated and insecure is not only imprudent but also a grave betrayal of taxpayer trust. Yet, there is a compelling alternative: conventional hand-count elections, which have proven to be both cost-effective and secure.
Consider the United Kingdom, where the cost to count each ballot by hand is the equivalent of just 13 cents, even with the added complexity of Rank Choice Voting ballots. In the United States, this cost could be halved due to our simpler ballot structure. With 154.6 million ballots cast in the 2020 federal election, the total cost of hand-counting those ballots would have been approximately $20 million. This figure not only pales in comparison to the exorbitant $1-3 billion needed for new electronic equipment and the additional $100-300 million for annual maintenance and updates, but it also presents a promising opportunity for significant cost savings.
Hand counting is not just a financial bargain; it is a crucial step towards restoring public confidence in our electoral process. In the UK, strict chain of custody rules and rigorous auditing ensure that every ballot is accounted for. Results are typically announced within 24 hours, demonstrating that efficiency need not be sacrificed for security. This level of security and efficiency is what our electoral process needs to regain the trust of the public.
Over 24 nations conduct hand-count elections globally, including larger countries such as Argentina, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. These countries have recognized that conventional paper ballots and hand counts are the only surefire ways to protect against the cybersecurity threats inherent in electronic voting systems.
It's time for the United States to follow suit. Investing in secure, transparent, and reliable hand-count elections will safeguard our democracy and yield significant cost savings.
It’s time to put elections back into the hands of the PEOPLE, not the machines!
