New voting machines will soon be coming in Louisiana.
Secretary of State Nancy Landry says while the new model has not yet been selected, one thing that’s for certain is that in accordance with a new state law, there will be a paper component.
Secretary Landry says that will ensure voters that their votes are counted accurately.
“A way that the voter can verify that their vote is accurate, and a way for us to verify the result of the machine tally,” says Landry.
There are several ways that a paper component could be used, and the exact method has yet to be selected.
“The voter verifies that the vote is accurate, and it’s either scanned into a separate scanner or it’s kept in the machine and rolled into a locked box,” Landry says.
Landry says having the paper ballot will allow the state to easily verify the machine vote tally.
“That paper ballot can then be used to audit the results of each and every election,” says Landry, “and it can be used in a recount if a recount is necessary.”
Landry says the state has not yet issued a request for proposals and there’s a lengthy approval process.
Therefore, it will be a few years before voters will start casting their ballots on the new machines.
“I don’t think we’ll have it in time for the 2026 midterms — maybe the first pilot program in a couple parishes where we’re testing it out,” Landry says.
Landry says the current machines have just about outlived their usefulness.
“Our machines that we use currently are over 30 years old,” Landry notes. “And they’re falling apart, and we can’t get the parts for them anymore.”
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