Smartmatic: Election Integrity Under Fire

Three current and former Smartmatic executives, including its president, Roger Piñate, have been indicted in the US for allegedly bribing a former Philippine election official to secure business for the 2016 elections. Smartmatic stated that the indicted executives have been placed on leave but emphasized that no voter fraud has been alleged against the company itself. The indictment has implications for ongoing defamation lawsuits Smartmatic has filed against Fox News and Newsmax over their 2020 election coverage. Both networks argue that these bribery charges could undermine Smartmatic’s claims of reputational damage. The Newsmax-Smartmatic trial is set for next month unless a settlement is reached.

Editor’s Note: Corruption in elections undermines public trust and can have far-reaching consequences for a country’s democratic processes. When companies responsible for ensuring fair and transparent elections are involved in corrupt practices, it questions whether automation is truly the best path forward. In our rush to embrace technology, we have overlooked the potential for human manipulation of technology that could be even more damaging than traditional voting methods. The Philippines is at the forefront of this case; the alleged corruption allegedly happened here. Transparency and accountability must be at the forefront of any electoral system, whether manual or automated.

Read Original Article