I’m going to disagree about the safety of in-person voting in Idaho. I was a poll watcher last year and I know the electronic machines were connected to the internet (I asked) which becomes vulnerable to hacking or other software manipulation. I listened for 8 hours as an outside source regularly caused the machines to run slow indicating to me that they might have been tampered with. For the poll workers, this was a normal occurrence. Move on, nothing happening here. Let’s go back to pen and paper, folks.
There are two types of machines at the precincts - the tabulators (which count your vote) and the poll books (which check you in). The poll books absolutely are connected to the internet and that is by design. They scan your license and verify who you are and whether you have voted already.
But in Idaho, I have not seen any evidence that the tabulators are connected. I have spoken with several clerks who vehemently deny they are. If they were, then those who can access the tabulators could manipulate the vote and you would be correct.
One additional Point I would like to make is that even Local Postal workers have the ability to loose your ballot either accidentally or intentionally. We have Political signs stolen regularly. Postal Workers Unions Never support Republicans suggesting that they are Partisan. They have access to who is Republican on their Routes.
Excellent summary! Thank you. Unfortunately we had to vote absentee this time as we are moving to a different county and could not be present to vote in person.
I’m going to disagree about the safety of in-person voting in Idaho. I was a poll watcher last year and I know the electronic machines were connected to the internet (I asked) which becomes vulnerable to hacking or other software manipulation. I listened for 8 hours as an outside source regularly caused the machines to run slow indicating to me that they might have been tampered with. For the poll workers, this was a normal occurrence. Move on, nothing happening here. Let’s go back to pen and paper, folks.
There are two types of machines at the precincts - the tabulators (which count your vote) and the poll books (which check you in). The poll books absolutely are connected to the internet and that is by design. They scan your license and verify who you are and whether you have voted already.
But in Idaho, I have not seen any evidence that the tabulators are connected. I have spoken with several clerks who vehemently deny they are. If they were, then those who can access the tabulators could manipulate the vote and you would be correct.
One additional Point I would like to make is that even Local Postal workers have the ability to loose your ballot either accidentally or intentionally. We have Political signs stolen regularly. Postal Workers Unions Never support Republicans suggesting that they are Partisan. They have access to who is Republican on their Routes.
Excellent summary! Thank you. Unfortunately we had to vote absentee this time as we are moving to a different county and could not be present to vote in person.