Election Equipment Manufacturer Files Lawsuit Against TX Secretary Of State

But after President Donald Trump’s claims of election fraud in the November 2016 election, citizens and activists are concerned about the potential for ballot manipulation with paper trails.

Hart InterCivic has filed a lawsuit in Travis County against the Texas Secretary of State, Rolando Pablos, over the possible certification of rival voting machines.

The Hays County Elections office has been in the process of upgrading county voting equipment. In the state of Texas, currently, there are only three companies that are certified to provide voting equipment.

After public comment and workshops, an election equipment advisory committee recommended Hart for the new equipment, but residents have expressed concerns in light of the lawsuit’s filing.

Hart InterCivic has petitioned a Travis County judge to rule that the voting machines Pablos’s office is attempting to certify, machines that print a paper receipt of a ballot, are not DREs and go against the Texas Elections Code.

However, Hart sells a product that has an option for producing a paper trail for possible recounts. What the company’s motive for the lawsuit is unclear. The motives of Hart InterCivic filing of the lawsuit is currently unclear.

But after President Donald Trump’s claims of election fraud in the November 2016 election, citizens and activists are concerned about the potential for ballot manipulation with paper trails.

During the Hays County Commissioner’s meeting Tuesday morning, commissioners were asked to deliver an ultimatum to Hart InterCivic: Drop the lawsuit or we’ll withdraw our interest in your equipment.