News

Actions

PolitiFact Wisconsin: Illegal machines?

Posted at 6:24 PM, Nov 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-30 19:24:10-05

The recount in Wisconsin is about to begin, but is there an issue with the voting machines used to count the ballots? TMJ4's Charles Benson talks with PolitiFact Wisconsin about a claim made by Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

Stein is making a lot of noise about Wisconsin's voting machines.

"Jill Stein said Wisconsin is using voting machines that are outlawed, that are illegal," said Tom Kertscher with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Here's her full quote: "Wisconsin uses voting machines that have been outlawed. They are illegal to use them because they are so prone to tampering and hacking. They are an invitation, really, for malfeasance. Those are used in the state of Wisconsin."

Wisconsin uses two different voting machines. A vast majority vote on a ballot and then place the ballot in an Optical scan machine. Some voters use a touch screen.

Stein pointed out in 2014 California banned a certain brand of electronic touch-screen machines because of security concerns and they don't provide a paper trail.

But PolitiFact Wisconsin found that each state gets to decide what works best for voters.

"The federal government doesn't not require certain voting machines," Kertscher said. "It does not prohibit any machines, each state decides what's legal."

Stein raised million of dollars to have the ballots recounted in Wisconsin. PolitiFact Wisconsin rates Stein's claim that the state's voting machines are illegal - Pants on Fire.

"That's our rating for statements that are false and ridiculous," Kertscher said. "Her statement made it sound like Wisconsin conducted the presidential election while flouting the law but in fact states decided what's legal."