Our Outdated Voting System

Tiana Epps Johnson discusses the challenges faced by local election departments in the U.S., highlighting the lack of centralized voting authority and disparities in funding. She emphasizes the need for better resources to ensure secure and efficient elections, pointing out the outdated infrastructure many departments rely on. Despite these challenges, election departments have shown resilience, but there is a pressing need for long-term investment to maintain the integrity of the democratic process.

Who is Tiana Epps Johnson?

• The founder of the Center for Tech and Civic Life

• A government official

• A political candidate

• A tech entrepreneur

What is the primary role of local election departments in the U.S.?

• To create voting laws

• To manage the logistics of voting

• To oversee national elections

• To fund political campaigns

How does the funding of election departments vary across communities?

• It is the same for all communities

• It depends on the federal government

• It varies based on local resources

• It is determined by the state

What is a consequence of insufficient resources for election departments?

• Increased voter turnout

• More polling places

• Shorter voting lines

• Proliferation of misinformation

What outdated technology is still used by many election departments?

• Linux

• MacOS

• Windows 7 or earlier

• Windows 10

What was the estimated cost to administer a safe election during the pandemic?

• $2 billion

• $6 billion

• $4 billion

• $1 billion

How much funding did Congress allocate for elections through the Cares Act?

• $400 million

• $1 billion

• $2 billion

• $4 billion

What was the private philanthropic effort led by Tiana Epps Johnson able to raise?

• $100 million

• $500 million

• $200 million

• $350 million

Why is it important to invest in election infrastructure?

• To support political parties

• To increase political advertisements

• To ensure secure and efficient elections

• To reduce campaign costs

What is a key challenge faced by election departments during the pandemic?

• Increased costs and insufficient resources

• Too many polling places

• Excessive funding

• Lack of voter interest