Georgia has Blocked All Foreign Internet Traffic to its Online Voter Registration site, a move that would do little to deter Hackers but Blocks Absentee Voters.
The site, registertovote.sos.ga.gov, is accessible only to U.S. IP Addresses.
The decision has outraged Technologists and Voting Groups. In theory, it’s meant as a Security Measure, based on the idea that a Person visiting the Site is more likely to be a Foreign Hacker. But in practice, it has the opposite effect. Georgians Abroad who don’t know how to Reroute their Internet Traffic with Tools like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) or Tor will be Prevented from Registering to Vote
“This won't really do anything to dissuade a hacker. It will only turn away real voters,” said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, President of the U.S. Vote Foundation (USVF), a Nonprofit that helps Americans Vote Abroad. “A hacker, or even a determined voter, will just get onto a VPN and to a U.S. IP address, and guess what? They’re in.”
In an email sent June 16th to at least one Georgia County, John Hallman, Georgia’s Election Systems Manager, said that the State was preparing to Block Foreign Traffic to its My Voter Page, the hub Georgians use to Check their Voter Registration Status and how to Mail-In Voter Applications, among other Information. "For security purposes, we are going to be blocking international traffic to MVP during Non-Balloting Time Periods,” Hallman wrote.
A Spokesperson for Georgia Secretary of State, Brian Kemp, who is currently running for Governor, defended the Decision, saying that the actual PDF file that Absentee Voters would Download and Fill Out is Not Blocked. “When we have received calls from ... voters who get to the webpage disclaimer, we walk them through the security explanation and provide assistance as needed,” she said.
But Voting Technology Experts say it’s a Backwards System. “I don't think it makes sense to argue that just because the link to the PDF allows global IP access that absentee and (overseas) voters will be fine,” said Joseph Hall, the Chief Technologist at the Center for Democracy and Technology. “Rather than block all global IP addresses outside the U.S., they really should be more selective in their blocking strategy,” Hall said.
Georgia’s Election Setup is one of the most Criticized in the Country. It’s one of the few States that both produces No Paper Trail in any County and Conducts No statistically significant Audits, a situation that the Department of Homeland Security has described as a National Threat.
Earlier this year, despite receiving some Federal Assistance Money, the State Legislature Rejected a Plan to Replace its Voting Machines with ones that could be Audited or have a Paper Trial for Recounts.
Georgia Absentee Ballot Application
The Application for Official Absentee / Advance Ballot is available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. You must have the Adobe Acrobat reader (available free of charge from Adobe) installed on your computer in order to view or print this form.
Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request - The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) registers you to vote and requests absentee ballots for all primaries, runoffs, and general elections involving Federal candidates, and any other elections for which you are eligible, for a period extending through the next regularly scheduled general election. Even if you are already registered to vote, you should use the FPCA to request absentee ballots. Please use one of the following options to obtain your FPCA. You must complete, sign, and submit the form to your county registrar's office via email (attachment), fax, or U.S. mail.
FPCA - Federal Post Card Application
General Election/Special Election 2018 last day to Register is: October 9th, 2018.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
