Election security is a critical issue that affects the legitimacy and integrity of democratic processes around the world, but election security can be challenging to achieve. Between physical asset tracking systems, access limiting measures, camera surveillance, and management systems, the Brennan Center for Justice estimates the cost of election security in the USA could exceed $300 million over five years. Additionally, in recent years there have been numerous reported instances of election fraud, vote tampering, and other security breaches that have called into question the reliability of election results and undermined public trust in the electoral process. While the validity of all of these claims can’t be undoubtedly verified, the need for public trust in our election infrastructure system is critical.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, election infrastructure includes but is not limited to:
- Voter registration databases and associated IT systems
- IT infrastructure and systems used to manage elections (such as the counting, auditing, and displaying of election results, and post-election reporting to certify and validate results)
- Voting systems and associated infrastructure
- Storage facilities for election and voting system infrastructure
- Polling places, including early voting locations
Physical security or operation security is just as essential for safeguarding election infrastructure as digital security. One effective way to improve physical election security is by using tamper evident seals, such as adjustable plastic seals, cable seals, and non-residue labels. These seals and labels are designed to indicate if someone has attempted to tamper with an object, such as a ballot box or voting machine. Tamper evident seals and labels can be made from a variety of materials, including plastic, metal, and paper, and can be customized with unique markings, serial numbers, or other security features.
Tamper evident seals and labels are often used in conjunction with other security measures, such as surveillance cameras, security personnel, and secure storage facilities to create a comprehensive security system that can protect against a range of threats. The responsibility for security protocols is shared between federal, state, and local government officials.
Thousands of districts across the country are governed and staffed by state and local election officials who:
- Maintain and protect election infrastructure daily
- Mitigate risks and ensure the integrity of elections at the local and state level
- Manage voter registration databases as required by the Help America Vote Act
- Support local election officials by offering training courses or materials on operating elections in the state
- Establish a process for testing and certifying voting equipment for use in the state
- Allocate funds for the procurement of updated voting equipment and improvement of election administration procedures
Tamper evident labels are one of the most accessible tools to support the aforementioned processes and procedures. One of the key benefits of using tamper evident seals and labels is that they can help to increase transparency and accountability in the electoral process. By providing a visible indication of tampering, tamper evident seals and labels can help to deter fraudulent activity and encourage greater public trust in the integrity of elections. In addition, tamper evident seals and labels can help to reduce the risk of challenges or disputes over election results, as they provide clear evidence of any tampering that may have occurred.
Election security is a critical issue that requires robust and effective measures to ensure the integrity of democratic processes. Tamper evident seals and labels, such as adjustable plastics seals, security labels, cable seals, and non-residue labels, are an important tool in this effort, providing a visible indication of tampering and helping to increase transparency and accountability in the electoral process. By using tamper evident seals and labels, election officials and other stakeholders can help to mitigate security threats and ensure that elections are free, fair, and transparent.
NovaVision offers a wide variety of high quality, tamper-evident security products. We can provide you with a custom solution that meets your needs. Visit novavisioninc.com or call (800) 336-6636 to learn more about our products and speak to one of our security experts.
