Ada County, Idaho, launched its election transparency tool Ballot Verifier in April 2024, giving users access to every ballot cast in the county starting in 2022.
Ballot Verifier allows users to view contest results, ballot images, and voting records for over 680,000 ballots. According to Go to the Ada County Elections Office.
This tool doesn't reveal voters' personal information, the Idaho Capital Sun reported.
The program was pioneered by Trent Tripple, a Republican who previously worked in the county clerk's office. According to In the New York Times. (Related: Arizona election officials say group helped commit thousands of fraudulent votes)
“I'm tired of everyone questioning the elections in Idaho,” Triple told the outlet. “The idea is to bring the majority of people back to this credible election.”
The newspaper said the 271,186 votes cast in the county on Nov. 5 will soon be published on its website.
Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGlenn called the tool “the first of its kind” in a May 2024 statement. interview On the “Ranch Podcast”.
“This is the first of its kind in the nation to include every image of every ballot here in our county,” McGlenn said. “They can not only post images of their ballots, but if they want to hand count and tally it themselves, go get it.”
A big victory for election integrity! ️ 🇺🇸
Phil McGlenn, Idaho Secretary of State: “Ada County just launched a ballot verifier. They created a tool that will post all the images of all the ballots here in the county. This is one of the first of its kind in the country. pic.twitter.com/0IUkYMyQ3e
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) May 22, 2024
“I can’t imagine how we could be more transparent,” Triple said. said Technology magazine “WIRED”. “There's nothing else we have that the public can't see.”
Ballot Verifier allows users to filter by ballot type, narrow results to specific precincts, and view images of all tabulated ballots. WIRED reports that the images will be displayed along with a “voting record,” or the number of votes counted by machines on election day.
It has been reported that a side-by-side comparison may reveal discrepancies. The site says the data spans from 2022 to the May 2024 state primary. (Related: 18 of the 19 states Harris won appear to share significant risks to election integrity)
Screenshot from Ada County Ballot Verifier: May 2024 Republican Primary Election
Before Ballot Verifier was introduced, residents were forced to file public records requests through the clerk's office to obtain election data, according to the website. People will reportedly have to wait several days and pay a fee to receive their voting information.
“The public can now view and download all ballots at any time, as well as perform their own 'national tally' simply by accessing this tool,” the website says.
According to the New York Times, the software company managing the program is Massachusetts-based Sibera. The company is already working with the state of Idaho to manage election data and has partnerships with other states and local governments, the paper noted. (Related: Democrats formally oppose Republican effort to block D.C. law allowing non-citizens to vote: report)
“Vote verifiers have achieved complete transparency and more,” Triple said. According to Go to Sibera's website. “I don’t know of a more powerful election tool that puts all the data in the hands of the people and is so easy to use.”
Also used by Tarrant County, Texas vote verifier For the 2024 election. The company's website says users can view data from the 2023 general election through the August 2024 special election.
In 2024, election security was a concern for many officials, from voter fraud to non-citizen votes.
