Executive order on voting machines could decertify equipment used in Lorain County

An executive order signed in March could require an update to voting machines across the country — Lorain County included. In the spring, President Donald Trump signed an executive order addressing election integrity and citizenship requirements for federal elections, The Ohio Capital Journal reported. In the midst of it was a direction to amend voting machine guidelines and certifications. The Trump administration took aim at voting systems that use barcodes or similar measures to count votes cast in elections, stating in the order that, within six months, the Election Assistance Commission — the independent body that certifies the equipment used for elections — shall review and, if appropriate, recertify voting systems based on the new standard. That six-month mark looms Aug. 25, less than three months before the general election. If the EAC makes changes to the equipment requirements, it could leave Lorain County, and others, scrambling to find replacement machines that meet the new qualification. Board of Elections Director Paul Adams said the executive order does not force the EAC to take action — but the commission could agree with Trump's order and require local boards of election to replace their voting systems. In the past, when the EAC has updated its requirements for election machines — which often strengthen the software and security — there are timelines and funding allocations. The executive order has none of that, Adams said. "If our system was decertified, we would be in the same boat as many other counties," Adams said. "I think the secretary of state would need to get involved to help us find a replacement system." He said he is not opposed to going to a higher level of certification — which provides improved software — but noted there is no money in his budget to do so, and very few vendors hold that certification. "You're going to be in a situation where only one company has this certification and now everybody is going to be trying to get equipment from them," he said. "It's going to create problems if not implemented over a period of time." Adams said he hoped any changes would be rolled out with a timeline, and funding source, to help offset the cost for counties. Rachel Orey, from the Bipartisan Policy Center, told The Ohio Capital Journal a nationwide transition could cost $2 billion to $5 billion. As for the concerns about barcodes and whether they accurately tabulate individual ballots, Adams said handwritten ballots have more issues due to human error and that Lorain County has yet to have any issue with barcodes not reflecting how an individual cast their ballot. Lorain County's voting machines use barcodes to tabulate votes cast for candidates, but the Board of Elections also does a paper audit every time. "We have not seen in any case in Lorain County where there have been barcodes that have given votes to the wrong person," Adams said. Adams anticipated a last-minute change to voting systems that would affect so many boards of election would end up in court or see the state legislature step in — but hoped it would not come to that. "I am very hopeful that cooler heads will prevail on the implementation of this," Adams said. "I am always for improving our security when it comes to elections, it just needs to be done in a systematic manner that can realistically be accomplished and be funded." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.