Electronic voting systems in 43 states, including Nevada, are at least 10 years old. These systems, both hardware and software are approaching, or have already exceeded their lifespan. The potential for mechanical breakdown and technological failure possibly compromising the voting process and / or election results is great. This is the conclusion of an extensive report recently released by the Brennan Center for Justice.
Nevada election officials and legislators are well aware of the situation. On July 22, 2014 a group of legislators, legislative staff, and state and county election officials met to discuss the status of the state’s aging voting machines and ways to address the issue. As long as vendors continue to support the machines and software, repairs can be made as needed. However, as technology improves, vendors stop supporting older versions. This has already happened for some software. Prolonging the inevitable is not an acceptable plan of action. Legislators need to make voting system upgrade and replacement a priority if we are to avoid an election disaster.
Given recent low voter turnout, it’s hard to predict how many voters will participate in the 2016 general election. However, given voters will be choosing a president, a replacement for Senator Harry Reid, and deciding whether to legalize recreational marijuana and stricter background checks for the purchase of firearms, I’d expect at least 75% turnout, the average for presidential yearelections, if not higher. Will 2016 be the year Nevada’s voting machines decide to really show their age?
The task for legislators in the 2017 Nevada legislative session will be to find the money stream to pay for software upgrades and eventual replacement of the physical equipment. The Nevada Election Modernization and Reform Act – 2017(NEMRA – 2017) provides one source of funding. By eliminating at least $3 – 4 million from the cost of administering elections each election cycle, NEMRA – 2017 would allow that money to be allocated for needed software upgrades and / or towards total system replacement.
Providing funds to avoid an election catastrophe is not the only benefit of enacting NEMRA – 2017. By implementing the reforms proposed, Nevada legislators would be putting a process in place that would increase participation and voter turnout while not infringing on the rights of political parties. There is a potential the legislation could strengthen the parties themselves.
The decision for legislators is not “if” to act, it’s “when”. Nevada cannot risk the consequences of an election system failure; long delays at the polls, voters unable to cast votes, votes not recorded or recorded incorrectly, any resulting lawsuits. NEMRA – 2017 is part of the solution.