Midterm elections are fast approaching, forcing some government officials to revisit the issue of voting security. Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) and Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) recently viewed a hacking demonstration that showed how election results can be altered.

This duo has led the charge on this issue. In June, they introduced legislation that addresses hacking concerns by creating a “Hack the Election” competition, which would allow independent cyber security experts to work with government officials to identify security threats. Katko also talked about future proposals, like making paper ballots a requirement for every election.

Intelligence officials have unanimously concluded that foreign powers will continue to influence American elections, yet American voting techniques have remained generally unchanged. This trend makes voting precincts vulnerable to attacks, threatening the results of elections. For these reasons, Katko’s efforts must be commended, and hopefully, more politicians follow his lead.

There are two main types of voting machines: the optical-scan and direct recording electronic (DRE) systems. The first option involves the voter filling out a paper ballot which is then scanned and recorded by a machine. The DRE is entirely electronic, using touch screen technology to record votes in the computer memory.

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These methods are riddled with inadequacies. For one, the equipment is outdated in many states. In November 2016, 42 states used voting machines that were at least 10 years old. And because this is near the end of a voting machine lifetime, it is prone to failures and crashes, which can intensify voting problems. Faulty equipment and long wait times creating by delays are major deterrents on election days.

The need for reform is obvious. But unfortunately, legislators struggle to find the necessary funds to replace their aging or deficient equipment. This is why Americans must support Katko and bring this issue to the forefront of American politics.

“I think of all issues, this one would probably be relatively easy to get through (Congress),” said Emily Thorson, an assistant professor of political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

An issue like this does not tend to be a particularly polarizing, so it is conceivable that elected Democrats and Republicans could work together to pass legislation, Thorson said.

These old devices also run on outdated software, which lacks the proper patches and updates to prevent cyber attacks. Many voting jurisdictions even have old machines that were purchased prior to the establishment of the mandatory federal certification and testing programs, making it possible that defective machines are currently in use.

But the newer devices have their faults as well. Because these machines are entirely electronic, they lack a paper trail, which leaves no reliable way to tally votes outside the reach of hackers. Paper trails are important because they provide states with the means to conduct post-election audits, a measure that cross verifies the machine results with paper ballots. This can help discover incidents of election tampering. Only Colorado requires this measure after elections.

Some argue that since DRE systems are not connected to the internet, it would be near impossible for hackers to alter election results because they would have to go to each individual machine. However, results can be sent through telephone modems, and since that infrastructure is similar to the internet, it can be vulnerable to hackers.

These vulnerabilities with DRE devices are especially important because they are used in states with highly competitive elections — like Delaware, Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. Entire elections could be altered by hacking these DRE jurisdictions.

But ensuring fair, honest election must become more than just a likely possibility. It has to be a promise that is followed with action. There is no room for complacency when the integrity of American democracy is threatened.

Joseph Pucciarelli is a senior public relations and history dual major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at jjpuccia@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @JoeyPucciarelli.

Published on October 22, 2018 at 10:26 pm