Special Session:1/24/2024 (Public Comment – B. Wiesner, 1/24/2024)

In a significant development regarding election security, J. Alex Halderman, a University of Michigan professor, demonstrated the vulnerability of Dominion Voting Systems’ ImageCast X ballot marking devices (BMDs) by hacking a Dominion Voting Tabulator in a federal court in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 19, 2023. Using only a pen, Halderman was able to change vote totals, highlighting serious security flaws in the system. This demonstration was part of a long-running lawsuit by election integrity activists, who are seeking to replace what they argue are insecure voting machines with secure paper ballots. The court’s interest in this matter underscores the ongoing concerns about the integrity of electronic voting systems.

The Halderman Report, released in June, detailed numerous exploitable vulnerabilities in the Dominion Voting Systems’ ImageCast X system. This report was the result of a collaboration between Halderman and the University of Michigan, where they conducted extensive testing on one of Georgia’s touchscreen BMDs. The findings revealed that the system is exposed to potential attackers, making it possible to manipulate votes on a large scale without needing physical access to the machines. Despite no evidence of past exploitation, the report warns of a serious risk of future attacks if additional precautions and mitigations are not implemented.

The release of the Halderman Report has sparked significant public and legal interest, with VoterGA founder Garland Favorito discussing the findings on Steve Bannon’s “The War Room.” The report’s release was delayed, and it was only made public this week, raising questions about why the results of the investigation into Dominion voting machines in Georgia were sealed and covered up. The Curling Plaintiffs, who were granted access to the BMDs by the court in September 2020, have been at the forefront of this issue, pushing for greater transparency and security in Georgia’s voting systems. The ongoing legal battle and public discourse highlight the critical need for secure and reliable voting technology.

J. Alex Halderman on X