Know the tools.
Trust the results.

We explain how election tech works—in plain English—so every voter feels confident.

How Election Tech Works

Ballots & Scanners

Marking &
counting votes

Common Data Format

Interoperability & standardization

More guides coming soon…

A tabulator is a scanner. It reads marks on paper ballots, totals them, and prints result tapes. The paper ballot is the official record and is retained for audits.
No. Today’s voting systems keep a paper record of each vote and are designed to be double-checked and verified by the voter before casting.
No. Electronic Ballot Delivery just means a voter gets a blank ballot electronically so they can download and print it (often used by military or overseas voters, or voters with disabilities). In most places, the voter still returns a paper ballot by mail, drop box, or fax. It does not mean voting online. In the few places that allow ballots to be sent back electronically, it’s very limited and includes extra security checks.

The machines that mark and count votes are not connected to the public internet while voting and counting are happening. Office computers may use the internet for paperwork and admin work, but the actual vote-counting process is kept offline. Data is moved using removable media that is sealed, tracked, and logged so it can be checked later.
Election offices use checks that the public can see. Before the election, they test the equipment. After the election, they review and match up ballots, seals, and result printouts. They also run audits that compare paper ballots to the reported results.
Not by itself. Just because the same company is involved doesn’t mean the systems are connected or that results can be changed. Election offices buy and operate each system separately, with different contracts, certifications, and public testing. Paper ballots, tracking of materials, and audits act as safeguards.