Key Democrats and election analysts say more needs to be done to ensure safe elections free from ‘foreign malicious actors’Potential electronic voting equipment failures and cyber attacks from Russia and other countries pose persistent threats to the 2020 elections, election security analysts and key Democrats warn. Embassy protesters in Iraq deal symbolic blow to US prestige Read moreIn November significant electronic voting equipment problems occurred in an election in the vital battleground state of Pennsylvania, sparking a lawsuit by advocacy groups charging the state is using insecure electronic voting machines. Other key states like Florida and North Carolina which experienced voting problems in 2016 and Georgia which had serious equipment problems in 2018, are being urged to take precautions to curb new difficulties in 2020, say election analysts. Looking ahead at other potential election security problems, Wyden voiced concern that the $425m allocated for 2020 election administration could be used for other purposes than security measures since it was written without tight spending guidelines. A lawsuit was filed last month to block Pennsylvania from certifying electronic voting equipment that Philadelphia has purchased, after the same machines encountered significant problems in November in undercounting votes in nearby Northampton County.

Source: The Guardian January 02, 2020 09:56 UTC