Securing the vote

Securing the vote

Yesterday, we got you up to speed on close races, important ballot measures, and barrier-breaking candidates in this week’s midterm elections.

Today, we’re looking at efforts to make sure all eligible Americans can vote with confidence — from ensuring that voting machines are secure from hacking to preventing tactics that discourage or block certain groups from heading to the polls.

 

The Crisis of Election Security
Kim Zetter, New York Times

There’s a good chance we simply won’t know if someone has altered the digital votes in a close midterm race. How did our election system get so vulnerable, and why haven’t officials tried harder to fix it? The answer, ultimately, comes down to politics and money.

 

Why Is It So Hard for Native Americans to Vote in This Utah County?
Anne Helen Peterson and Graham Lee Brewer, Buzzfeed News

In San Juan County, a majority Navajo population has lived for decades with a primarily white, Mormon government. This midterm election could change that — if people can cast their vote.

 

The Vulnerabilities of Our Voting Machines
Jen Schwartz, Scientific American

Hacking isn’t the only technological threat to elections; so are glitchy software and defective machines. Computer scientist J. Alex Halderman tells Scientific American that good old-fashioned paper can help safeguard our votes.

 

Don’t forget to vote tomorrow, November 6th! To check your voter registration status, learn how to decode political ad targeting, and more, visit Firefox’s Election Hub.