# Do the flaws in electronic voting machines render American elections unreliable?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-flaws-in-electronic-voting-machines-render-american-elections-unreliable/624558>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [June 8, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-flaws-in-electronic-voting-machines-render-american-elections-unreliable/624558 "2012-06-08T22:03:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-flaws-in-electronic-voting-machines-render-american-elections-unreliable/624558/61 "2012-06-12T12:40:25Z")

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I find it odd that the very people who would be all too willing to disenfranchise thousands of voters to prevent a theoretical handful of illegal votes are completely unconcerned about the known possibility of [electoral fraud made possible by voting machines.](http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jYc_kEcEh7ud8zTj4ieAu8DmvqLw?docId=CNG.084ad1a5035dbc689c847bd432bb002a.4a1)

> [@](#):
>
> Last September, researchers led by Roger Johnston at the Argonne lab were able to change votes on the a ballot machine using about $25 worth of equipment, by inserting a device to manipulate touch screens by remote control

Optical scan paper ballots are superior in every way. Technically-challenged voters can use them easily, they can be tabulated when the voter submits them into the ballot box, and the paper trail is there for recounting.

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**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-flaws-in-electronic-voting-machines-render-american-elections-unreliable/624558/62 "2012-06-12T14:50:27Z")

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> [@PrettyVacant](#):
>
> You live in one of the richest democracies in the world, you can afford to count paper.

> [@PrettyVacant](#):
>
> Plus, it makes you wonder how democracy developed at all given the hurdles identified in this thread …

😃

Yes, it can seem like there is always another problem to deal with in a democratic republic but that just means the democratic republic is working.

We in the U.S. want results NOW. What’s taking so long? Why isn’t this fixed, corrected, invented yet? That doesn’t mean we’re undemocratic, just impatient.

Electronic voting machines produce vote tallies quicker. That’s fine but produces other possible problems. Open discussion eventually finds a solution that acceptable to most (but never to all).

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