A whistleblower claims a new system to screen mail-in ballots for US midterms could reject entire batches due to insufficient testing and a zero failure rate policy.
A whistleblower has informed Congress that a new system to screen mail-in ballots for the November US midterm elections could reject entire batches due to insufficient testing and a policy requiring zero failure rates. The system, part of a Trump executive order tightening federal control over mail-in voting, has been criticized as 'perilously rushed and potentially unlawful' by Senator Richard Blumenthal.
The system, called the 'Federal Ballot Mail Portal,' requires scanning ballots against a federal voter list before delivery. Engineers had only three months, including a court-ordered pause, to develop the system, which would normally take nearly a year. Testing began only in late August, leaving limited time to identify issues before launch.
Why it matters
A single scanning error could lead to entire ballot batches being rejected during midterms.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.
What to watch
Watch whether USPS discloses the ballot rejection rate as whistleblowers claim it was withheld.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.