Georgia Activists Challenge Dominion Voting Systems in Court
Georgia is facing a legal battle as activists urge a federal judge to stop using Dominion touchscreen machines for voting, alleging security flaws.
Morgan Riley
- 2024-01-08
- Updated 03:51 AM ET
(NewsNibs) - Election integrity activists in Georgia have called on a federal judge to halt the state’s use of Dominion Voting Systems' touchscreen machines ahead of a trial set to begin on Tuesday. They argue that the machines are flawed and their use is unconstitutional due to security vulnerabilities and a range of operational issues. These concerns have been countered by Georgia election officials who insist that the system is secure and stress the state's right to conduct elections without federal interference.
Continued Controversy Over Voting Machine Security
Despite the assurances of state officials, controversy has persisted since the introduction of the machines rapidly adopted before the 2020 election cycle. Activists point to security issues and contend that an auditable paper trail is lacking because voters cannot decipher the QR codes printed on their ballots. Measures proposed by the activists include a switch to hand-marked paper ballots and enhanced post-election audits—a strategy previously discussed but not mandated by U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg. Revelations of a breach in Coffee County, which resulted in unauthorized access and sharing of system data involving Trump allies, has further fueled the dispute.
Complexities Ahead of the 2024 Elections
Amid ongoing legal scrutiny, there are challenges in implementing changes ahead of the 2024 elections. While Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has labeled the allegations as unfounded, his office has expressed that a software update suggested by Dominion is too complex to implement promptly. Respected computer scientists and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have acknowledged vulnerabilities in the machines, urging that they be addressed. Despite these acknowledged vulnerabilities, no evidence has been presented indicating that these flaws have been exploited to alter election outcomes.
The case, which originates from a 2017 lawsuit against a now-defunct voting system and the subsequent rapid adoption of Dominion machines, has Judge Totenberg weighing the evidence once again, with activists like lawyer David Cross and Marilyn Marks of the Coalition for Good Governance optimistic yet cautious about the prospect of change. Meanwhile, a decision by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has exempted Raffensperger from testifying based on his status as a top official. The outcome of the trial could have a profound impact on voting systems in Georgia and potentially set a precedent for other states.
The trial commencing this week will determine if Georgia will be able to continue using the Dominion Voting Systems machines as activists and state officials await a judgment that could have critical implications for the integrity and administration of future elections.
