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Fact check: Which states used paper ballot backups for their electronic voting systems in 2024?
1. Summary of the results
By 2024, nearly 99% of registered voters are using voting systems with paper ballot backups [1] [2]. Only three states continue to use paperless voting equipment [1] [3], with Louisiana being specifically identified as the only state not using paper ballots statewide [2]. Several states, including Indiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky, have passed legislation requiring paper ballot backups or voter-verified paper audit trail printers by 2024 [1] [3].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
- The original question overlooks the different types of paper backup systems in use. The most common is the optical scan paper ballot system, where voters mark physical ballots that are then scanned, creating a permanent paper record [4].
- 100% of voters in battleground states have access to paper ballot backups [1], highlighting the particular importance of verifiable voting systems in contested elections.
- While electronic voting systems are used, they often include paper ballot records specifically for audits or recounts [4], showing that paper backups serve a specific verification purpose beyond just recording votes.
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
- The question implies that paper ballot backups are an optional or varying feature across states, when in fact they have become the national standard, with nearly all voters having access to them [1] [2].
- The question doesn't acknowledge that voting equipment can vary even within states, with different jurisdictions using different systems [5].
- While specific state-by-state breakdowns aren't comprehensively available in the sources [6], focusing on individual states might miss the broader picture of near-universal paper ballot backup adoption nationwide.
This widespread adoption of paper backups benefits election integrity advocates and voters seeking verification of their votes, while potentially creating additional costs for state election boards and voting machine manufacturers who must upgrade their systems to comply with new requirements.