It may be surprising but paper ballots need to be embraced in the 2018 elections. It’s one of the safest, smartest systems because Russia cannot hack a piece of paper like they can a computer.

Kamala Harris

Last month Pennsylvania moved to require all voting systems keep a paper record of votes cast. What this means is voters statewide cast ballots the old-fashioned way, with paper.

“It works. I understand. At least if we’re having to spend some time on it, we’re the only ones in control, perhaps is the idea. Nobody else hacking on in, so hopefully it’s safe,” voter Ken Rafferty told the local press on voting day.

So is this our only option to keep the election safe? It doesn’t change other ways the elections can be influenced, as we’ve seen withthe Zuckerberg incident.

We get it, electoral fraud is not just a Shonda Rhimes story from Scandal it’s a very real concern, and the recent polls confirm it. USN reported that 1 in 4 registered voters may not vote in mid-term elections over fears of hacking. 

Assuming potential election fraud for the mid-term elections is a real threat we must address, today Kamala Harris suggested we move towards paper ballots, “look at where we are now in this year of our Lord 2018 – we’re talking about paper ballots.” Harris said on Instagram, “That might actually be one of the smartest systems, going back to a day when we could have something tangible that we can hold onto, because Russia cannot hack a piece of paper like they can computer systems connected to the internet.

TBH I cannot help but think we are doing two things terribly wrong, 1) we are slapping a band-aid on what is clearly a bigger issue than what our government is disclosing, and 2) we are giving Russia way to much power over us.

I don’t have the answers but the “solution” comes across like the situation happening at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School right now where the kids all have to carry clear bags while in school. Logically it is supposed to make us feel safe, but it also makes us feel vulnerable and angry that the real issue is unresolved and unnecessarily exposed.