Virginia bans certain voting machines over hacking concerns

By ALAN SUDERMAN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Board of Elections is blocking the use of touch-screen voting machines in its upcoming elections over concerns that the equipment can be hacked.

The board voted Friday at a hastily arranged meeting to decertify touch-screen voting machines, which are still used by counties and cities around the state.

Elections officials said they were forced to make the decision to ensure the integrity of the closely watched November gubernatorial contest. They said the decision was partly motivated after a demonstration at a hacking conference earlier this year showed how that the touch screens could be hacked easily.

Some localities objected to the move, saying the risks of vote totals being manipulated on the machines were being overhyped.

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