Politics

Georgia To Keep Using Electronic Voting Machines In Midterms

The Senate Intelligence Committee said states should consider switching to paper ballots in March for a more secure election.

Georgia To Keep Using Electronic Voting Machines In Midterms
Getty Images
SMS

A federal judge ruled Georgia can stick with electronic voting machines over paper ballots in the upcoming midterms, despite warnings that the machines can be hacked.

A group in Georgia tried to sue, claiming the electronic machines aren't secure enough. A security breach recently exposed as many as 6 million voters' records. And earlier this year, special counsel Robert Mueller said Russian intelligence officers visited some Georgia county websites to try and find soft spots.

The Senate Intelligence Committee made recommendations to better secure elections in March, calling for states to "rapidly replace outdated and vulnerable voting systems" and to only buy machines with "a voter-verified paper trail and no WiFi capability."

Although there's a concern these machines could be hacked, CBS reports the judge was more concerned about switching to paper ballots, saying it would be "bureaucratic confusion." Early voting for the November election starts in about four weeks.

NPR reports Georgia is one of 14 states that use electronic voting machines without written documentation. 

Government reports say Russia interfered in the U.S. presidential election to help elect Donald Trump. The president has wavered on whether he agrees with his own intelligence community that Russia interfered in the election.