Voting machines are connected to the internet and can be hacked remotely
| Voting machines are connected to the internet and can be hacked remotely | |
|---|---|
| MISLEADING | |
| "Vote tabulators are online, so anyone can change results from anywhere." | |
| Domain | Politics & Elections |
| Tactic | False Context Conspiracy Theory |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2020 |
| Origin | Claims about election equipment after the 2016 and 2020 elections |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-03 |
| Further reading: books on Politics & Elections | |
The claim that voting machines are connected to the internet and can be hacked remotely blends a few real exceptions with a general statement that is wrong.
What the evidence shows
- Tabulators are generally offline. Most vote-counting machines are not connected to the internet while counting.
- Some systems transmit unofficial results. A few use modems to send election-night totals, and a 2019 report found some back-end systems were connected.
- Wi-Fi is not proof. Network access at a polling place does not mean the tabulators use it. Electronic poll books are not voting machines.
- Paper backs up the count. Most jurisdictions keep paper ballots that can be audited by hand.
Why it persists
Security researchers do publish real vulnerabilities, which are easy to turn into "it has been hacked."
Lessons for readers
- Ask whether a described weakness has been used to change a certified result.
See also
- Benford's Law proves Biden's 2020 votes were fabricated
- Smartmatic software was built to rig elections for Hugo Chávez
Sources
- Election security reporting and audits, 2019 to 2021.
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency election security guidance.