Trump Advocates for Paper Ballots as Most of America Embraces Them Already

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access.

President Donald Trump has reiterated his call for a return to paper ballots, emphasizing their importance for ensuring honest elections during a recent cabinet meeting. “We have to go back to paper ballots,” he stated. Despite this assertion, the predominant voting method across the United States already involves paper ballots.

In most states, voters either hand-mark a paper ballot that is scanned by machines or utilize ballot-marking devices that produce a printed summary of their selections for verification. Both systems provide a voter-verified paper trail, combining paper ballots with electronic verification for enhanced accessibility and security.

Election security experts endorse these methods as the gold standard. They not only allow voters to confirm their choices before submitting ballots but also generate physical records vital for audits and recounts if necessary. Thus, advocating for paper ballots does not imply the complete removal of electronic voting equipment. Instead, it promotes standard procedures that secure a paper trail for error-checking.

Estimates suggest over 95% of U.S. voters utilize paper ballots. The Brennan Center for Justice projected that around 98% of votes in the upcoming presidential election would be cast in this manner, marking a significant rise since the previous election cycle.

The state that notably lacks a statewide paper ballot system is Louisiana, a Republican bastion that has historically supported Trump. A few counties in Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Indiana still rely on electronic voting machines without a verified paper trail, often due to financial constraints. Trump has yet to propose federal funding to assist these regions in upgrading their voting systems, leaving localities uncertain about how to align with his vision.

Trump’s call to revert to paper ballots raises questions about his intent. Some supporters advocate for entirely eliminating electronic equipment for ballot marking and counting. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell boldly stated, “We will not stop until we have paper ballots counted, and we’re going to melt down all the voting machines and turn them into prison bars.” His controversial remarks followed a contempt of court ruling related to his false claims regarding Smartmatic voting machines.

In Georgia, a state senator has introduced legislation to eradicate voting machines, proposing that all ballots be hand-marked and counted. Senator Colton Moore pointed to Trump’s recent statements as inspiration for this bill, aligning with the push for a return to a paper-centric voting system.

Lindell’s declarations and Moore’s legislative efforts signal a misunderstanding of the current electoral system. While the push for hand counting is gaining traction among certain factions, experts caution against it, citing inefficiencies, inaccuracies, and increased costs associated with such methods. Concerns arise that advocates for eliminating electronic systems may prioritize sowing doubt about election integrity over actual improvements.

Ultimately, true champions of election integrity focus on ensuring voters can confidently cast their intended choices and that election officials verify votes accurately. Notably, these objectives are already met by the majority of existing voting systems.

Political discussions around ballot access, funding for elections, and the infrastructure supporting secure voting processes continue, yet these debates must remain fact-based. Supporting paper ballots transcends partisan lines; they serve as a standardized measure for election security widely adopted across the nation.