In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the county clerk's office in Boise, Idaho, experienced a surge in inquiries from voters seeking transparency concerning the election process. Questions revolved around the origin of the county's voting machines, the software utilized, potential vulnerabilities, and allegations of election rigging that spread through conservative circles.
Trent Tripple, a Republican elected to lead the Ada County clerk's office, proposed a solution to enhance voter confidence: publishing all ballots for public viewing. Mr. Tripple's initiative aims to restore trust in Idaho's elections, stating, “The idea is to get the vast majority of people back into this bucket of trusting elections.”
This groundbreaking measure will be implemented during the November 5 election, with all 271,186 ballots cast in Ada County made available on an interactive website. The site will detail how each ballot was tabulated, allowing anyone with internet access to audit the voting process through the Ballot Verifier program, which enables filtering by races, precincts, or mail-in ballots.
The published ballots will not contain personal identifying information. However, some voters, including Mr. Tripple, marked their ballots uniquely to facilitate identification when published. This endeavor has attracted national attention from election officials seeking to rebuild voter trust in light of widespread skepticism exacerbated by former President Trump's false claims regarding the 2020 election.
While other counties have shared voting data, Ada County's simultaneous disclosure of ballots and their tabulation marks a unique approach. Mr. Tripple believes that making these datasets searchable online will help validate the accuracy of ballot counting.
Following the 2020 election, significant distrust fueled events such as the January 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Allegations surrounding voting machines led to various lawsuits, including a high-profile defamation case against a major news outlet, which resulted in a substantial settlement over misinformation.
A Gallup poll indicated that prior to this year’s election, only 28 percent of Republicans were confident about the integrity of the voting process compared to 84 percent of Democrats. Tim O’Donnell, a skeptical voter from Boise with a background in software development, became proactive about understanding election procedures post-2020. His efforts included filing records requests and touring the Ada County elections office.
After experiencing increased transparency in the election process, including the upcoming Ballot Verifier program, Mr. O'Donnell expressed optimism that it could effectively empower voters or expose any election irregularities. He commended the election officials' willingness to address public concerns regarding the electoral process.
Democratic officials have also recognized Mr. Tripple's initiative. Ada County Democrats' chair Erik Berg commented that while such measures are regrettable, they are necessary for reinstating public trust in the electoral system.
Ensuring ballot privacy remains a key concern with the publishing effort. Ada County plans to redact ballot information in small precincts to safeguard voter anonymity. Kim Wyman, a Republican and former Washington State secretary of state, voiced caution regarding potential risks associated with the publicizing of ballots, including the possibility of exposing voter identities and facilitating vote-buying.
Within the Ada County elections office, the Ballot Verifier is part of a broader strategy to enhance transparency. The processing area includes livestreaming cameras for public observation, with plans to increase visibility further. Mr. Tripple encourages residents to engage directly, either through visits or participation in the election process.
The development of the Ballot Verifier involved collaboration with Civera, a software company that manages election data for various jurisdictions. Other counties, including Tarrant County, Texas, are now adopting Civera's system, reflecting growing interest among officials from both major political parties.
The evolution of election transparency tools is seen as a response to heightened scrutiny fostered by election denialism, as well as a natural progression driven by advancements in technology that facilitate public oversight across multiple government sectors.