Hacking Democracy

Hacking Democracy follows the journey of Bev Harris and her team of citizen-activists as they uncover potential vulnerabilities in America’s electronic voting systems. It documents their efforts to answer a crucial question: How does the United States count its votes?

The film focuses on the security concerns surrounding electronic voting machines, particularly those manufactured by Diebold Election Systems. Harris and her group, Black Box Voting, investigate allegations of election fraud and irregularities that occurred during the 2000 and 2004 U.S. presidential elections. Their quest takes them across several states, including Florida, California, Ohio, and Washington.

Throughout the documentary, Harris and her team employ various methods to expose potential flaws in the voting system. They engage in dumpster diving at county election offices, uncovering discarded voting records that reveal discrepancies in official tallies. The activists also collaborate with computer security experts to demonstrate how easily voting machines can be manipulated without leaving a trace.

The climax of the film features a dramatic showdown between Diebold’s voting machines and a computer hacker from Finland. It aims to prove that votes can be altered without detection, raising serious concerns about the integrity of America’s democratic process.

Hacking Democracy presents a nonpartisan look at the issues surrounding electronic voting, highlighting the potential for secrecy, cronyism, and incompetence in the electoral system. It showcases the determination of ordinary citizens who take it upon themselves to safeguard the fundamental principles of democracy.