

Going to vote in this year's election? If you're like most of the country, your vote will never be read by a human. According to Election Data Services, a bipartisan election research firm, for 99.8% of the U.S. population, your vote will be handled by a machine. Voting technology is diverse — more than 40 different types are in use across the nation, divided into four broad categories: lever, punch card, optical scan, and electronic (the last 0.2% use paper ballots, checked by human eyes). Machines by their nature can't have biases, but how do you know the technology won't spoil your vote? Or worse, could a technologically minded person tamper with your vote?
We asked the experts those same questions. DVICE consulted voting-machine experts, watchdog groups, manufacturers, election officials, studies and reports. The result is DVICE's Guide to Voting Machines in the USA: a comprehensive breakdown of all the voting technologies that you may encounter on Election Day. All the information is presented through a beautiful interactive map.
What machine will you see when you go to vote on Nov. 4? Could that machine be hacked? How likely are you to make a mistake? Which areas are the most vulnerable? We answer all of these questions for every kind of machine, and for every state. We tell you which machines are the most hackable, and which are the most error prone — and where they all are.
To be clear, DVICE is in no way saying that votes are likely to be hacked or spoiled. There has never been a proven case of widespread technological voter fraud in the U.S. But you only have to look at the Florida recount of 2000 to get a sense of how technological problems with voting can be a big deal. Our Guide is simply an attempt to address these issues in a meaningful way.
What are you waiting for? Head over to the map!
DVICE Guide to Voting Machines in the USA
By Yoda at 1:05 PM ON 10/20/08
Wow! Cool map.
By joshikins at 1:53 PM ON 10/20/08
Somebody needs to check these numbers. I live in Washington, more specific Grays Harbor, and we use mail in paper ballots. So I fail to see how Washington can be 100% optical scan voting.
By PeterPachal at 2:28 PM ON 10/20/08
@Joshikins: I suspect the ballots you mail in are read by an optical scanner. But if you have information that says otherwise, please share it. In any case, thanks for commenting!
Peter Pachal
Editor, DVICE
By blue at 2:32 PM ON 10/20/08
OMG i'm going to voting on a LEVER machine. Can't I just text my vote in from my iPhone?
(Joshikins, your ballot is probably scanned in by an optical machine, no?)
By joshikins at 8:09 PM ON 10/20/08
It doesn't look like it would be, but I could be wrong.
By Margaret at 3:43 AM ON 10/21/08
Please send the daily report to my email address with the updates.
I hope this is ppossible.
By Tatsu.ZZmage at 10:16 AM ON 10/23/08
the reports from West Virgina have already shown that the republicans WHO OWN THEM have tampered with them. if you live their check what the machine says your voting for.
By slacker at 5:10 AM ON 12/25/08
joshikins is right. I live in grays harbor too!
i might add that i think any machine that doenst print a voucher should be banded.
slacker:
joshikins is right. I live in grays harbor too! i might add that i think any machine that doenst print a voucher sh...More »