POC: Eric Lazarus
elazarus@electionsec.org
(312) 890-2547

SPEED IS THE ENEMY OF ACCURATE 2020 ELECTION RESULTS

ElectionSec’s security experts are unanimous in advocating a slow-paced and audit-focused strategy rather than a rush-to-judgment approach to determining the 2020 election results.

In these days of political claims and counterclaims and attempts to disparage voting by mail, it is imperative that Americans have full confidence in the accuracy of its elections. It is critical to our democracy, our economy, and our future.

“We must be sure that our elected leaders have legitimacy in the eyes of the American public,” said Eric Lazarus, CEO and Founder of the Association of Election Security Professionals (ElectionSec). “We have a strong handle on preventing vote hacking and vote forgery. We simply HAVE to do it. We must be prepared and motivated to take the time and make the effort to ensure an accurate outcome.”

In the words of Joseph Macquire, former Acting Director of National Intelligence, before a Congressional committee, “The greatest challenge that we face is not necessarily from a kinetic strike or with Russia or China or Iran or North Korea.” Rather, he said. “I think the greatest challenge that we do have is to make sure that we maintain the integrity of our election system.”

How do we go about achieving that? According to ElectionSec experts, it is by taking the time to completely and thoroughly audit hand-marked paper ballots. Our experts have identified several critical threats that must be addressed:

• Core Technology Attacks: Attacks against the election infrastructure, including voting machines, tabulators, and communication between them.

• Voter Registration / Purging Attacks: Attacks against the voter registration process especially the purging of legitimate voters from the voter registration database.

• Information Attacks: The publication of false information designed to be shared repeatedly on social media. We can combat Core Technology Attacks by giving election officials the time and mandate to double-check hand-marked paper ballots, voted in polling places, or remotely. It is essential that county election officials be given the time and authority to delay reporting results while they do these ‘double checks.’

Voter Registration Attacks, which delete legitimate voters from the voter rolls, can be combated by allowing voters who appear not to be registered to cast provisional ballots and then providing time for election officials to determine which of those provisional ballots should be unsealed and counted.

Finally, Information Attacks can be largely addressed by ensuring that voters have accurate information, particularly how a voter can vote in their jurisdiction, provided by non-partisan organizations like the Election Protection Coalition.

While some are disparaging the accuracy of postal voting, experts hired by election officials around the country to investigate security problems in voting operations tell a very different story. Their conclusion is that hand-marked paper ballots, postal or otherwise, plus statistical audits are the current gold standard for election accuracy.

The best and only real solution to election integrity is clear, according to ElectionSec CEO Eric Lazarus. “It will take longer than a conventional election, but we can only have an accurate election if we take the time needed to do it.”

Election Integrity Experts from ElectionSec are available to speak with media representatives to provide additional thoughts and opinions on these matters. Please reach out to POC, Eric Lazarus, at the contact information provided above.