Many voting systems in the U. S. are becoming outdated, with states like Louisiana using equipment older than many of their voters. This raises concerns about election security and the need for modern technology.
• In Louisiana, election officials use old machines, often needing to cannibalize parts from broken ones, as replacement parts are no longer made.
• A report from the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) states that by the next presidential election, the average age of voting equipment in the U. S. will be 9.3 years, which is typically when jurisdictions replace their equipment.
• New federal election security guidelines (VVSG 2.0) require updated equipment, including auditable paper records, but it may take decades to implement these standards nationwide due to costs.
• The estimated cost to replace U. S. voting systems to meet the new guidelines is about $2.71 billion, suggesting it could be the 2040s before they are widely adopted.
• Funding for election infrastructure has decreased significantly in recent years, highlighting a need for Congress to prioritize this issue.
Modernizing voting equipment is crucial for ensuring secure and efficient elections, but financial support and commitment from Congress are necessary for a swift transition to updated technology.
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