Activists Express Distrust in Voting Machines, But Reject ‘Election Denier’ Label

Lulu Friesdat has made it her life’s mission to promote voting machines that she believes will save money and reduce waiting times. Her group, Smart Elections, has gained the support of activists and students alike. However, the 2020 US Presidential Election changed everything. Claims of election rigging were made by former President Donald J. Trump, casting doubt on electronic voting machines. Although Friesdat and her supporters emphasized the importance of election protection, they sometimes amplified the conspiracy theories of groups such as ‘Stop the Steal’.

Some election activists believe that voting machines could be vulnerable to hacking, but conspiracy theorists claim this has already happened, which election officials deny. The debate around the security of electronic voting systems is ongoing.

Disinformation watchdogs say that the spread of false information regarding election fraud, made famous by Trump, has led many Americans to question the validity of the vote. Friesdat and other activists worry that their advocacy work could be aligned too closely with conspiracy theorists. This makes it difficult for progressives and other allies to support them without being associated with conspiracy theories.

According to Friesdat, it would be problematic if “an article says that these voting machines are coming, and people’s concerns about this issue are very similar to those of the Stop the Steal group.” Therefore, it is important to avoid being linked to the Stop the Steal movement.

Experts on propaganda suggest that both activists and conspiracy theorists undermine American election credibility, intentionally or not. By exaggerating legitimate objections related to voting machines, conspiracy theories undermine supporters, raising questions about the electoral process as a whole.

Tim Weninger, a computer science professor at the University of Notre Dame, who studies social media disinformation, stated that: “You plant a seed of doubt, and it will grow and grow into a conspiracy theory. It always starts with one lie, which grows into two lies, which grow, and soon you have a whole conspiracy theory on your hands.”

As several states are experiencing problems with electronic voting systems, some officials are considering the certification of a new voting machine made by Election Systems & Software (ES&S), an Omaha-based manufacturer. ES&S, along with companies like Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic, have faced accusations of voting fraud from Trump in the past. However, ES&S and its systems have been under scrutiny from election activists and security experts for years.

Friesdat and other activists, such as Common Cause, a national government accountability organization, have opposed the use of these voting machines for years. They argue that the machines are expensive, causing voting lines to lengthen, and warn that errors may slip through the cracks. However, they sometimes step over into conspiracy territory. In one Facebook post, Smart Elections claimed that the machine “can add, remove, change votes on your ballot”, similar to what was claimed by the opposition after the 2020 election.

ES&S, on the other hand, boasts that their machines are secure and enable voters to complete their ballots quickly. ES&S emphasizes that the ExpressVote XL can handle multiple languages simultaneously and accommodates voters with disabilities. They contend the machines cost around $10,000 each on average, but suggest that over time, the states will save money by eliminating the need to print traditional ballots in multiple languages and redundant equipment. A third-party verification process has certified the machine in New York.

ES&S has attacked those who question the use of its systems with claims that they could be hacked by criminals “after 2020.” ES&S threatened to sue Smart Elections, calling their claims false, defamatory, and damaging.

Smart Elections responded by defending their position, arguing that experts support their views and that they are protected by their right to free expression. The threat of hacking remains the most significant threat identified by election activists, and it is one of the lies presented by election critics about the President Biden’s win in 2020. Election security experts say that election administrators need to execute audits, transparency processes, and other actions to identify and correct vulnerabilities before they are exploited.

Although there was no evidence of fraud or malfunctioning machines during the 2020 elections, officials stress that intimidation should not be ignored.

Douglas Kellner, chairman of the New York State Board of Elections, stated that “It’s like saying that the gold stored in the basement of the Federal Reserve Bank on Wall Street can be stolen. In theory, if you put together all the attacks against many security policies it would be possible to steal gold from the Federal Reserve. But it’s not really true.”