Massive Data Breach Puts Voter Data At Risk Before Georgia House Special Election

Police are investigating the theft of equipment that could make every voter in Georgia at risk for theft after a precinct manager had equipment used to check in voters stolen from his car.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported:

Cobb County elections director Janine Eveler said the stolen machine, known as an ExpressPoll unit, cannot be used to fraudulently vote in Tuesday’s election but that it does contain a copy of Georgia’s statewide voter file.

“We have managed that so that what’s stolen could not impact the election,” Eveler said.

While the file includes drivers’ license numbers, addresses and other data, it does not include Social Security numbers, Eveler said.

Without needlessly sowing the seeds of any conspiracy theories, this news has to make Democrats a little queasy given what happened in November’s presidential election.

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What is odd is that local officials waited until two days after the theft to begin an investigation. Even with assurances from state officials that the election results will not be compromised, this is a horrible development for the belief in the security and integrity of US elections. After Russia meddled in the 2016 election, voters need their confidence restored in the process. Local officials waiting two days to report the theft of voting equipment only serves to fuel questions about the integrity of US elections.

American officials need to handle voter data and voting equipment more responsibility. No matter the results of the House special election, local officials have opened themselves up to conspiracies with their behavior.

Something might be rotten in Georgia, as the story surrounding this breach of voter data isn’t adding up.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association