Baton Rouge, Louisiana - Louisiana has certified six new voting systems as part of an effort to replace its decades-old election equipment with a fully auditable, paper-based system, according to an announcement from Secretary of State Nancy Landry.

The certification follows public demonstrations and testing held in August and September, where vendors presented their systems to state officials and the public. The Louisiana Department of State evaluated each system under its published standards, which guide how voting technology must perform and be secured.

The following systems have now been certified:

• Clear Ballot ClearVote Voting System
• Democracy Live Omni Ballot Tablet
• ES&S EVS 6.5.0.0 Voting System
• Hart InterCivic Verity Vanguard 1.0 Voting System
• Liberty Vote Democracy Suite 5.20 Voting System
• VotingWorks Vx Suite 4 Voting System

With certification complete, the Department of State will move to the next step in the state’s procurement process, as required by the Louisiana Election Code. Procurement is the formal process the government uses to request, review, and select a system to purchase and deploy statewide.

Focus On Paper Ballots And Audits

Secretary Landry said the state’s goal is to acquire “a new, fully-auditable voting system to replace our 35-year-old fleet of equipment.” She emphasized that the new system will rely on paper ballots.

“As required by law and in line with best practices, the next voting system will feature a paper ballot with each vote cast, which will allow us to audit each and every election,” Landry said.

A fully auditable system allows election officials to compare digital results with paper records. Paper ballots, whether hand-marked by voters or printed by a voting device, provide a physical record that can be reviewed in recounts and post-election checks. These audits are used to confirm that reported results match the votes actually cast.

Transparency And Public Testing

Landry described the effort to replace the current equipment as “the most transparent procurement process in state history.” Vendors took part in public demonstrations and testing during August and September, giving observers an opportunity to see how the systems operate.

The state’s published standards cover issues such as accuracy, reliability, and security. Systems must demonstrate that they can record votes correctly, protect voter privacy, and produce a verifiable paper record. They also must function under the practical conditions of an election, from early voting to Election Day and, if needed, recounts.

Public demonstrations are designed to build trust by allowing citizens, advocates, and other stakeholders to watch the technology in use, ask questions, and better understand how votes are cast and counted.

Replacing 35-Year-Old Equipment

Louisiana’s current voting equipment has been in use for about 35 years. Officials have said that age alone is a concern, as older machines can become harder to maintain, repair, and secure.

By certifying multiple systems from different vendors, the state has created a field of eligible options from which a final choice can be made. Certification does not mean all systems will be purchased or deployed, but it does mean they have met the state’s technical and legal standards.

The next steps in the procurement process are governed by the Election Code and will determine which system, or systems, are ultimately selected for use across Louisiana. Details on contracts, cost, and rollout will follow as the process moves forward.

What Voters Can Expect

While specific implementation plans have not yet been announced, officials have made clear that the future voting system in Louisiana will include:

• A paper ballot for every vote cast
• The ability to audit election results using those paper records
• Compliance with state law and recognized election best practices

For voters, this typically means they will either fill out a paper ballot by hand or review a printed paper ballot produced by a machine before it is cast. In both cases, the paper record remains available for recounts and audits after results are reported.

State officials have signaled that they will continue to provide information as the procurement moves forward, as Louisiana transitions away from its aging equipment toward a system designed for modern security and transparency needs.