Voting machine companies prepare for the next battle against misinformation.
"We have the evidence."
Ed Smith clearly remembers the days that followed the 2020 elections in the United States. At that time, he was working for Smartmatic, a voting technology provider that had been involved in supplying ballot marking devices in Los Angeles County. After the announcement of the results indicating the defeat of then-President Donald Trump by Joe Biden, Trump unleashed a war against the election results. During this contest, companies like Smartmatic found themselves under a barrage of accusations.
Trump and his allies accused Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems of conspiring to rig the vote in favor of Biden. As Trump's lawyers, such as Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, accumulated false claims in court, a wave of online attacks targeted employees like Smith. Social media users delved into his previous work in the election technology industry and began threatening him, leading to deep sadness for him, even among his own family, who believed the claims that the election had been stolen.
Four years later, Trump is seeking the presidency again and has anticipated that his opponents will attempt to steal the elections. Both Dominion and Smartmatic are now trying to restore their credibility with the public, facing a distrust that sometimes seems insurmountable.
Communications used to be a secondary point in election technology, notes Samira Saba, Smartmatic's communications director. In the past, election commissioners mainly focused on ensuring that votes were counted. However, today, they recognize that misinformation represents one of the biggest challenges they face. In 2020, the industry was unprepared for the magnitude of misinformation circulating, especially coming from the sitting president and leaders of the Republican Party.
The companies' first response was to file defamation lawsuits against media outlets and conspiracy theorists, achieving some successes in court. Both Smartmatic and Dominion have made settlements and continued legal actions against various platforms and figures that spread lies about their technologies. However, distrust claims are still common in conservative media.
Despite this, Smartmatic and Dominion have created sections on their websites where they debunk false claims about their technologies. Since 2016, Smartmatic has published a handbook to combat misinformation, guiding election officials on how to establish relationships with the media and create crisis communication plans. This strategy includes showing empathy and clarity in communication, avoiding complicated explanations that further confuse voters.
Not only election technology companies are struggling to maintain public trust. State governments have implemented pages to debunk electoral myths and facilitate voter observation of processes, which can help combat distrust. However, demonstrating that the system is secure and transparent can be a considerable challenge, especially when facing doubts that persist among certain groups of people.
Conspiracy theorists, including Trump and Giuliani, have undermined trust in the institutions that seek to restore it. Many are now reluctant to accept information from official sources, prompting some to question the reasons behind their distrust of the electoral system.
Election technology companies do not avoid scrutiny, but skepticism can turn into public distrust. Despite having systems in place to ensure checks and balances, the perception of fraud has even infiltrated public discourse. With the elections approaching, companies are bolstering their security, reflecting the anticipation of potential threats to election workers.
The situation is tense, and some election officials have begun conducting activation drills for possible shootings, as well as implementing additional security measures. The path to restoring trust is complex and requires a collective effort, as well as a firm response to false narratives that threaten the integrity of the democratic electoral process.
