Among the tasks facing Secretary of State-elect Nancy Landry when she takes office is the purchase of new voting machines. After the 2020 presidential election, voter fraud became a point of contention and new state laws require extra steps for more transparency.
“It will take a little bit longer than it has in the past because of the additional steps but we’re going to make sure that we cross all our t’s and dot all of our i’s and follow the law exactly so that the process can’t be attacked,” said Landry.
Landry said it’s a controversial procedure because it’s a large contract and in the request for proposal process, there are winners and there are losers…
“And the losers will attack and file lawsuits against the winners and try to attack the process. So, we have to just make sure that we follow the law to the t,” said Landry.
For the last three years, Landry said the legislature has passed laws to give the Secretary of State additional authority, beyond canvassing to clean up voter rolls. But she said each time it was vetoed by Governor John Bel Edwards. But with a new administration and a GOP super-majority Landry feels those laws will finally be enacted.
“So that we can verify voters who haven’t voted in ten years, or 20 years, or 30 years. And also have the authority to verify them and move them to the inactive rolls if they don’t respond,” said Landry.
Among the requirements for new voting machines will be a paper record and multiple checks and balances to protect against hacking.
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