AP: Why reported challenges with touchscreen voting machines don’t signal election rigging
Officials say most touchscreen vote-flipping complaints stem from mis-taps or screen calibration issues, and voters can review paper records before ballots are counted.
- As early voting continues in Jefferson County, Election Coordinator Sven Hipp is addressing social media reports claiming touchscreen machines are changing voter selections; the county's equipment undergoes extensive testing before every election.
- Reports of 'vote flipping' often stem from user error, such as tapping the screen too hard; Kendall County elections administrator Staci Decker said '100% of the time' issues result from miscalibration or unintended touches.
- To ensure accuracy, Hipp provided guidelines: touch the candidate's name rather than the checkbox, review selections, and ask poll workers for assistance; voters can spoil up to two ballots if errors occur before casting.
- Similar touchscreen challenges have appeared nationwide, including in Tennessee and Texas, where officials attributed issues to unintended touches; Tennessee Elections Coordinator Mark Goins stated these cases were 'not a vote-flipping situation.'
- Because the decentralized U.S. voting system includes multiple layers, it is shielded from widespread fraud; officials urge voters to report concerns directly to local offices rather than relying on unverified online claims.
58 Articles
58 Articles
SC election officials address reports of touchscreen voting issues
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – The South Carolina Election Commission is reassuring voters after reports surfaced on social media and elsewhere alleging touchscreens at some polling locations selected the wrong candidate during voting. In a statement issued Thursday, the commission said it has not seen an unusual increase in reports of voters having trouble making selections [...]
Los Angeles Times
Reports break out on social media every election year in the United States: voters say they touched the name of a candidate on a touch screen voting machine, but the wrong person was lit up as their pick.
Bexar County voters claim voting machines switched or removed selections
KSAT spoke with multiple voters who said voting machines changed or removed their selections during the process. Though they all blamed the machines, the Bexar County Elections Department is pointing to user error as the likely culprit in such cases.
The Toronto Star
Why reported challenges with touchscreen voting machines don’t signal election rigging
NEW YORK (AP) — The reports erupt on social media every election year: Voters say they tapped a candidate's name on a touchscreen voting machine, only for the wrong person to light up as their selection.
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