Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, has called for the elimination of electronic voting machines, advocating for a return to paper ballots. Kennedy cited recent issues in Puerto Rico as a reason for his stance, pointing to irregularities with machines running Dominion Voting Systems software. He stressed that a paper trail is essential to ensure the integrity of elections and prevent hacking.
Kennedy shared his views on the X platform, referencing an Associated Press report about the problems in Puerto Rico’s primaries. He stated, “Puerto Rico’s primary elections experienced hundreds of voting irregularities related to electronic voting machines. Luckily, there was a paper trail so the problem was identified and vote tallies corrected.” He further questioned, “What happens in jurisdictions where there is no paper trail?”
Highlighting the need for reliable election systems, Kennedy said, “US citizens need to know that every one of their votes were counted, and that their elections cannot be hacked. My administration will require paper ballots and we will guarantee honest and fair elections.”
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, agreed with Kennedy’s call, stating, “We should eliminate electronic voting machines. The risk of being hacked by humans or AI, while small, is still too high.”
Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, also criticized the use of voting machines on his podcast. He questioned their purpose, arguing they do not provide faster or more secure results, nor do they save costs. Adams suggested that the machines might be designed to manipulate election outcomes, a concern shared by many who remember when election results were promptly known by the next morning.
The debate over electronic voting machines continues to gain traction, with growing support for a return to traditional paper ballots to ensure election integrity and public confidence.