South Dakota, Luzerne County Review Voting Systems Amid Equipment Concerns

Concerns about election integrity have been raised in South Dakota, where Representative Heather Baxter criticized Pennington County for using uncertified laptops with wireless capabilities in elections, which allegedly violates state law requiring secure, certified systems. South Dakota's Secretary of State Monae Johnson countered these claims, affirming that all voting machines are federally certified, never connected to the internet, and that wireless features are disabled before certification, labeling the allegations as misinformation. Meanwhile, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, is considering replacing its current Dominion Voting Systems equipment after the contract expires this year, with the Election Bureau recommending leasing new voting machines from Hart InterCivic for the 2026 elections. The proposed system change aims to enhance user-friendliness, reduce costs, and improve efficiency by shifting to paper ballots fed into tabulators, reducing reliance on ballot marking devices except those required for disabled voters. The Luzerne County Election Board is set to vote on this recommendation, with the County Council making the final decision. Additionally, Madison County, Iowa, is preparing for a Special Election with voting equipment testing underway, ensuring readiness and transparency for the upcoming auditor election.