La course à l’élection présidentielle de 2024 entre dans sa phase finale, avec des votes anticipés déjà en cours. Les candidats sillonnent les États clés pour mobiliser leurs partisans, tandis que des experts affirment que le système électoral américain est plus sécurisé que jamais grâce à la modernisation des technologies de vote. Toutefois, la désinformation persiste, alimentée par des figures politiques comme Donald Trump, qui préparent le terrain pour des contestations judiciaires en cas de défaite. La possibilité de violations des droits de vote et de violence politique suscite des inquiétudes, alors que des lois récentes compliquent l’accès aux urnes pour de nombreux électeurs.
As the 2024 presidential election approaches its climax, early voting is already in progress in some states, with only days remaining until we reach the peak on Election Day. The competition is fiercely competitive, and candidates are racing through influential states to galvanize their supporters and ensure they cast their votes.
From a technical perspective, the American electoral system is reportedly more robust than ever. Voting technology has been fortified in recent cycles, enhancing security and facilitating result verification. Moreover, a new generation of tech-savvy election workers is contributing to advancements in voting technology.
Michael Waldman, president and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, expressed growing confidence, stating, « In many ways, we are increasingly confident about the lead-up to the election — that we will have an election that is free, fair, secure, and smooth, » during a press briefing on October 16.
Nonetheless, former President Donald Trump, along with his allies, continues to propagate misinformation regarding the voting process to serve their political interests, laying the groundwork for potential legal challenges should they face defeat.
Recently, Trump alleged voter fraud in York and Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania via a post on X, despite ongoing investigations by local officials regarding any issues with voter registration applications.
Experts foresee court disputes over mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state, should Trump be unsuccessful.
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Concerns have been raised that frivolous legal actions may prolong the election certification process, promoting unfounded conspiracy theories under a façade of legitimacy, or even inciting violence due to contested, misunderstood outcomes.
With such a close race, the vote-counting process will require time, making it improbable that the winner will be immediately known.
« We’re increasingly anxious about the aftermath and consequences of attempts to discredit the results and what could follow, » Waldman noted. It’s crucial for voters to remain assured that voting technology and related processes are secure and efficiently managed.
The Trump campaign did not provide a comment for this story.
Secure by Design
Trump has declined to affirm that he will accept the election results if he loses, a stance that is neither surprising nor new. He and other election skeptics continue to falsely assert that the 2020 election was manipulated.
Despite repeated confirmations of the 2020 election results by experts and the judiciary, election security has witnessed continual growth since then, according to Mark Lindeman, policy and strategy director for Verified Voting, which advocates for responsible technology usage in elections.
Lindeman highlighted the near phase-out of paperless electronic voting machines, which had raised significant concerns due to their lack of a paper audit trail for elections officials to verify votes.
While the notion of someone hacking an election outcome has always seemed improbable, the dialogue surrounding it has heightened awareness among election officials regarding cybersecurity necessities, though misinformation campaigns remain a separate challenge.
As younger workers replace retiring baby boomers in election roles, they bring with them both a familiarity with technology and a willingness to grasp the electoral process, according to Lindeman.
Though election security is not without its flaws, Lindeman reassured that most potential technological issues are manageable. « We talk about resilience, » he noted. « That’s what resilience means. If something breaks, we fix it. That’s a pretty good place to be. »
The Monsters in the Closet Aren’t Real
Despite persistent beliefs, the structure of how elections operate and the technology in use present significant barriers to traditional hacking attempts. Elections are managed at the state level, not federally, and voting machines differ across states, with most systems being offline. Paper records provide assurance that votes can’t be altered.
However, skepticism remains, fueled by influential figures perpetuating conspiracy theories about undocumented immigrant voting and compromised machines. The false narrative that the 2020 election was rigged continues to circulate.
« When people have decided to believe something alarming happened, it’s nearly impossible to change their minds, » Lindeman stated. « It’s like trying to convince a child that monsters aren’t real. »
Additionally, Russia’s interference in elections has been documented since at least the 2016 election. Recently, U.S. officials seized Russian-affiliated websites and charged two media employees with spreading disinformation ahead of the upcoming election.
Last week, officials reported that Russia generated and disseminated a false video depicting someone destroying Trump-marked ballots in Pennsylvania. Local authorities swiftly debunked the video, yet it widely circulated online.
Some of the most damaging disinformation has originated from Trump and his supporters, including Elon Musk and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, both