West Virginia Pioneers Smartphone Voting for Disabled Citizens
West Virginia prepares to become the first state to allow voters with physical disabilities to cast ballots via smartphone apps. The plan relies on technology like Voatz, though cybersecurity experts strongly warn against the security risks of online voting.
West Virginia is taking steps to become the first state to allow voters with physical disabilities to cast their ballots using smartphone technology. Governor Jim Justice plans to sign a bill that requires all counties to provide an online ballot-marking device to disabled voters. Secretary of State Mac Warner indicates that the state will most likely supply counties with the Voatz smartphone app or a similar platform to fulfill this new requirement.
Cybersecurity experts strongly oppose the use of mobile voting systems, arguing that any form of online voting unnecessarily introduces severe security risks. Computer scientist Matt Blaze emphasizes that this approach completely contradicts the overwhelming consensus of election security professionals. Although researchers have not identified specific vulnerabilities within the Voatz app itself, broader concerns about election integrity prompt continued scrutiny from officials like Senator Ron Wyden.
Despite the significant pushback from the cybersecurity community, a growing number of local governments across the country are adopting smartphone voting methods. West Virginia previously broke ground in 2018 by offering the Voatz app to military and overseas voters. Warner notes that the state is waiting for Voatz to complete a formal security audit, but he remains confident in the technology based on its past performance in the state.