Trump Orders Crackdown on Ballot Barcodes: Debunking the Myths

Atlanta (AP) — Regarding President Donald Trump’s executive order aiming to reform the management of U.S. elections contains a relatively niche mention of vote-counting methods. According to this proposal, voting systems should avoid using ballots that feature "a barcode or quick-response code."

These minor technical terms might wield significant influence.

Ballot-marking devices that provide each voter with a code are utilized in numerous counties spanning 19 states. These systems are implemented statewide in three locations: Georgia, South Carolina, and Delaware.

Certain computer scientists, Democrats, and left-leaning election advocates have voiced worries regarding their usage; however, those promoting conspiracy theories about them continue to do so. 2020 presidential election have stood out as the most vocal, asserting without proof that manipulation had already taken place. Trump, to justify the action, stated the order his aim was "to safeguard electoral integrity."

Despite some election officers affirming the reliability of systems utilizing encoded ballots, they still advocate for transitioning away from these methods as numerous voters lack confidence in their accuracy.

Colorado’s secretary of state, Democrat Jena Griswold, decided in 2019 to stop using ballots with QR codes, saying at the time that voters “should have the utmost confidence that their vote will count.” Amanda Gonzalez, the elections clerk in Colorado’s Jefferson County, doesn't support Trump's order but believes Colorado's decision was a worthwhile step.

“We can just eliminate confusion,” Gonzalez said. “At the end of the day, that’s what I want -- elections that are free, fair, transparent.”

Target for misinformation

Whether voting by mail or in person, millions of voters across the country mark their selections by using a pen to fill in ovals on paper ballots. Those ballots are then fed through a tabulating machine to tally the votes and can be retrieved later if a recount is needed.

In other places, people voting in person use a touch-screen machine to mark their choices and then get a paper record of their votes that includes a barcode or QR code. A tabulator scans the code to tally the vote.

Election officials who use that equipment say it’s secure and that they routinely perform tests to ensure the results match the votes on the paper records, which they retain. The coded ballots have nevertheless become a target of election conspiracy theories.

“I think the problem is super exaggerated,” said Lawrence Norden of the Brennan Center for Justice. “I understand why it can appeal to certain parts of the public who don’t understand the way this works, but I think it’s being used to try to question certain election results in the past.”

Those pushing conspiracy theories related to the 2020 election have latched onto a long-running legal battle over Georgia's voting system. In that case, a University of Michigan computer scientist testified that someone might alter The QR codes to alter voter choices and load malware onto the devices.

The testimony provided by J. Alex Halderman has been utilized to bolster Trump’s claims. false claims that the 2020 election was taken, despite there being no proof that any of the vulnerabilities he discovered were actually used.

Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia Secretary of State who belongs to the Republican party, has asserted that his state’s voting system remains secure. In March, the judge overseeing the hearing where Halderman testified agreed with this stance. declined to block The utilization of Georgia’s voting machinery was mentioned, yet they noted that the case uncovered "significant issues regarding the management, upkeep, and safety of Georgia’s electronic in-person balloting system."

Could an executive order prohibit coded ballots?

Multiple lawsuits are challenging Trump's election-related executive order. One of these suits has led to preliminary injunction opposed a clause aiming to mandate evidence of citizenship during voter registration.

The part prohibiting ballots with QR codes or barcodes depends on a directive from Trump to a federal agency. U.S. Election Assistance Commission , which sets voluntary guidelines for voting systems. Not all states follow them.

Several legal filings argue that Trump lacks the power to instruct the commission since it was designated by Congress as an autonomous body.

As the courts address this issue, the commission’s guidelines indicate that ballots featuring barcodes or QR codes should also have a printed version showing the voter’s choices, allowing for verification purposes.

Trump’s order exempts voting equipment used by voters with disabilities, but it promises no federal money to help states and counties shift away from systems using QR or barcodes.

"In the long term, it would be beneficial if suppliers shifted away from encoding; however, there is already proof that they are moving in this direction," stated Pamela Smith, who serves as the president of Verified Voting.

Counties in limbo

Kim Dennison, who oversees elections in Benton County, Arkansas, approximated that modernizing the county’s voting system would require an investment of approximately $400,000 and could take as long as one year.

Dennison mentioned that she has utilized machinery dependent on encoded ballots throughout her 15-year career and has consistently failed to uncover any incorrect outcomes during the tests conducted after elections.

I have full confidence that the equipment is functioning precisely as intended and isn’t altering any reports," she stated. "Once a vote has been submitted, it can’t be modified.

In Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, voting machines capable of generating a QR code will be utilized for this year’s primary election. However, officials anticipate an update from the manufacturer will eliminate these codes before the November elections take place later this year.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo stated that officials hadn’t encountered any voter complaints regarding QR codes. However, they opted for an alteration when Dominion Voting Systems proposed the upgrade.

The country's most densely populated county, Los Angeles, employs a system featuring a QR code that was created over ten years ago and rolled out in 2020 following approval from a state-mandated testing and certification process.

The top elections officer for the county, Dean Logan, stated that the system surpassed federal requirements when it was implemented and complies with numerous criteria set forth in the updated guidelines from 2021. He mentioned that subsequent post-election audits have continually verified its precision.

He stated that altering or substituting it would be expensive and time-consuming. The county's present voting machinery has an estimated value of $140 million.

‘Train Wreck’ in Georgia?

The dispute has perhaps reached its peak in Georgia, a key electoral state. This region employs the same QR code voting system throughout its territory.

Marilyn Marks, who serves as the executive director of the Coalition for Good Governance—a key participant in the lawsuit concerning the voting system—stated that her organization hasn’t adopted an official stance on President Trump’s executive order. However, she emphasized that the federal Election Assistance Commission ought to cease approving equipment that utilizes barcodes.

The Secretary of State stated that the voting system complies with Georgia law, necessitating federal approval when the system is purchased. Despite this, the Republican-led legislature has decided to prohibit the utilization of QR codes; however, they have not provided funding for this alteration, which is projected to cost around $66 million.

Republicans stated they aim to substitute the present system once the ongoing contract concludes in 2028; however, their legislation remains set to commence next year. Republican State Representative Victor Anderson mentioned that there isn’t a feasible method to "avoid the impending disaster."

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Christina A. Cassidy from The Associated Press provided contributions for this report.

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Kramon is a corps member serving with The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America Is a non-profit national service initiative that assigns journalists to local newsrooms to cover less-reported topics. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon .