Broken Ballots begins with a comprehensive history of the use of technology in elections, starting with mechanical voting machines in the 19th century. Many of the problems that emerged then continue to plague modern electronic voting machines. The authors go on to illustrate how legislation and the regulatory structure governing voting equipment have been ineffective at addressing technological risks - risks that frequently outstrip the understanding of election administrators and regulators. The result has been a series of failures where there is reason to doubt that the official vote count correctly reflected the intent of the voters. Both Democrats and Republicans have been the victims of these failures. The book ends with a prescriptive summary that includes recommendations for policies and legislation to better protect the democratic process.

 

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