I have no idea how the officials in each state will react to the recount. My understanding is that Jill Stein is being aided by some very savvy election integrity experts, so if there are problems with state officials, we shall all hear about it.
JB: What else should we know about this recount, David?
DM: If the recount reveals significant discrepancies, then it's anybody's guess how the country will react. Much will depend, of course, on the extent of the discrepancies, but any significant amount will inevitably cause political turmoil.
It's quite possible, however, that the recount will simply reaffirm the original vote count. In that case, I suspect the effort to modernize and standardize our election system will take a hit. That would be unfortunate, because as Bruce Schneier argued in a recent op ed in the New York Times, if our voting machines were not hacked in this election, it is simply a matter of time before they will be.
It's worth quoting his assessment:
"Electronic voting machines can be hacked, and those machines that do not include a paper ballot that can verify each voter's choice can be hacked undetectably. Voting rolls are also vulnerable; they are all computerized databases whose entries can be deleted or changed to sow chaos on Election Day."
The United States has a long history of efforts to steal elections (see here and here for examples). We need a secure voting system, both to avoid election theft and to reassure the public that the voting system works.
JB: Schneier is right on target. Thanks so much for talking with me, David. It was a pleasure. We do live in interesting times!
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