Arizona Lawmakers Push for US-Made Voting Machines by 2029 Deadline

President Trump aims to boost US manufacturing, but Arizona's 2029 voting equipment law could lead to hand-counting ballots.
Lawmakers pass bill requiring US-made voting machines

Arizona’s Push for U.S.-Made Voting Machines: A Legislative Challenge

In a bold legislative move, Arizona’s Republican lawmakers have passed a bill that could alter how ballots are counted if President Trump’s promise to revitalize American manufacturing remains unfulfilled by 2029. Under this new legislation, all voting machines in Arizona must be entirely manufactured and assembled in the United States, challenging the current availability of such equipment.

The legislation, HB 2651, mandates that every component of vote-recording and tabulating machines, including the software, be sourced from within the U.S. However, Jenn Marson, representing the Arizona Association of Counties, has raised concerns about the feasibility of meeting these requirements. “There are probably companies that could meet the deadline. But the problem, Marson said, comes down to this: What if they can’t?”

Tempe Democrat Rep. Brian Garcia voiced his apprehension, stating, “This would render us a full hand-count tabulation,” something he opposes. Meanwhile, House Speaker Steve Montenegro, who spearheaded the proposal, argues that this move will enhance election security. “It’s going to make it easier to investigate any machine issues. And it’s going to help restore public trust in elections,” he said.

Montenegro emphasized that voting equipment is classified as “critical infrastructure” by the Department of Homeland Security, warranting stringent regulations. He remarked, “If there are issues that would arise with the voting machines, it’s easier to discover them if the machine hardware and software are created in Birmingham or Buffalo or Boise, not in Beijing.”

Concerns about foreign interference were echoed by Rep. John Gillette, who has a background in national security consulting. He warned, “Almost every piece of software we get has a back door to China.” Gillette fears such vulnerabilities could allow election results to be manipulated.

Despite these assertions, the timeline remains a contentious issue. Marson pointed out the two-year federal certification process required before state certification, raising doubts about the readiness of American manufacturers by 2029. She suggested the need for a contingency plan if domestic production falls short.

Nonetheless, the measure was approved without any “what if” provision. Sen. Mark Finchem expressed confidence in the competitive drive of manufacturers to meet these new standards. He stated, “I’m pretty sure there’s a competitive edge they want to maintain.”

On the other hand, Sen. Lauren Kuby criticized the legislation as addressing a “non-existing problem with a non-existing solution,” asserting that current equipment already meets federal security standards.

The bill now awaits the decision of Governor Katie Hobbs.


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