by Marguerite Adelman
Conspiracy theories about hacked voting machines have proliferated since the 2020 presidential election. The current administration is raising these unsubstantiated concerns about election security and voting machines to discourage voting and create fear among voters. Checking the facts with reliable sources proves these conspiracy theories wrong.
Our Vermont election officials and Secretary of State deploy a series of safeguards to ensure the accuracy of final vote counts. Vermont safeguards include the following:
- voting machines are certified to federal and state security standards before being deployed;
- machines are tested before voters cast their ballots to make sure they are working properly;
- machines are audited again after elections to confirm that they correctly counted ballots and produced an accurate total;
- machines are not hooked up to the internet because cybersecurity standards and election laws mandate that the equipment remains isolated from public networks; and
- Vermont voters can cast a ballot with a paper record of their vote, which can be used to verify that electronic totals are correct.
The League of Women Voters of Vermont (LWVVT) encourages everyone to vote. Vote early, by mail, or at your City Clerk’s Office. Voting at the polls is your right, and you can trust that Vermont voting machines are safe and secure.