Results for: Electronic Voting Machines

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has voiced his support for the elimination of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the United States. Musk’s comments came in response to allegations of voting irregularities related to EVMs in Puerto Rico’s primary elections. He emphasized the potential risks of hacking and the need for a paper trail to ensure the accuracy of election results. Musk’s remarks have garnered significant attention on social media, with many users expressing agreement and support for his views.

A delegation of opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc met with the Election Commission on June 2 to demand adherence to guidelines for vote counting on June 4. They requested that postal-ballot results be announced before those from electronic voting machines (EVMs), as per statutory rules. The leaders also emphasized the importance of transparent procedures, including monitoring the movement of EVM control units and verifying date-and-time displays.

The Election Commission has strongly defended the credibility of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the Supreme Court, contributing to a decision in favor of the current electoral process. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar expressed confidence in the EVMs’ security, citing their validation by constitutional courts 40 times. He also presented a book with frequently answered questions and flowcharts on EVMs and highlighted the fact that political parties have emerged due to their transparency. The Supreme Court, in separate concurring judgments, rejected petitions seeking 100% cross-verification of votes cast on EVMs through Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines. The court emphasized the need for a balanced perspective and meaningful criticism, while recognizing the importance of harmony and trust among democratic institutions.

In India’s sprawling national election, spanning from the Himalayan peaks to the Andaman’s tropical shores, officials are employing a remarkable array of transportation methods to distribute electronic voting machines. Helicopters, buses, trucks, boats, donkeys, and mules are traversing jungles, mountain tracks, and rivers, transforming remote tents, shipping containers, and school buildings into polling stations. The massive seven-phase election, involving over 1.4 billion people, commenced last week and concludes on June 1, with nearly 970 million voters casting their ballots for 543 Parliament members. The votes will be tallied on June 4.

The Supreme Court has declined to hear a lawsuit challenging the use of electronic voting machines in Arizona. The lawsuit was filed by Kari Lake, a Republican candidate for governor in 2022, and Mark Finchem, a former Republican state lawmaker. Lake and Finchem argued that the state’s electronic voting machines could be hacked and that their use violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. However, lower courts dismissed the lawsuit, finding that Lake and Finchem had not been harmed in a way that allowed them to sue. The Supreme Court agreed with the lower courts, writing that the lawsuit was “based on speculative concerns” and that the plaintiffs had not shown any actual harm from the use of electronic voting machines in Arizona.

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case brought by Kari Lake and Mark Finchem, who sought to ban electronic vote-counting machines in Arizona. The court’s decision effectively ends their efforts to require hand counts of ballots. Lake, now the GOP front-runner for the U.S. Senate in Arizona, and Finchem, running for state Senate, have repeatedly made unfounded claims about the security of electronic voting machines.