
Nevada’s online voting system, called the Effective Absentee System for Elections (EASE), is raising concerns due to its apparent reliance on an honor system to verify voter eligibility. The system, originally designed for military and overseas voters, has expanded to include voters with disabilities and those living on reservations. However, state officials appear to have no concrete method to ensure that only eligible voters are using the system.
The office of Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar pointed to state laws that penalize false voter registration but admitted that there is no specific process to verify whether someone qualifies to use the EASE system. Essentially, voters must simply “affirm and declare” their eligibility to participate, a process that many see as inadequate for preventing fraud.
Critics have noted that, while the system does match voter identity using personal details like a driver’s license number and the last four digits of a Social Security number, verifying identity is not the same as verifying eligibility for a specific program like EASE. The system doesn’t seem to have a way to catch those falsely claiming to meet the criteria, such as living on a reservation or having a disability.
A working group of security experts at UC Berkeley has raised alarms about the vulnerabilities of internet-based voting systems like EASE, saying it would be “effectively impossible” to prevent widespread fraud without stronger digital credentials. They noted that while internet voting may offer convenience, the risks outweigh the benefits.
Despite these concerns, Nevada officials continue to stand by the system. Deputy Secretary Gabriel Di Chiara described the EASE program as “entirely secure,” though critics argue that the lack of verification undermines that claim.
With more states considering online voting options, the debate over how to balance security and accessibility is likely to intensify.