BOSTON, MA – Clear Ballot has announced it stands in full compliance with Executive Order 14248 of March 25, 2025 titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.” The executive order has ignited a nationwide discussion regarding the future of election technology, specifically targeting the use of QR codes and barcodes on election ballots. The order directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to amend the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) to prohibit voting systems from using ballots where the vote is contained within a barcode or QR code for vote counting, with exceptions for accessibility for individuals with disabilities. This move aims to enhance voter confidence and election integrity by promoting verifiable paper records.
The executive order stems from concerns that machine-readable codes may obscure the voter's true intent from human verification, potentially making it harder to detect errors or malicious alterations. While some election officials assert the security and accuracy of current systems that use these codes, some critics argue that the reliance on unreadable codes for tabulation can sow distrust.
In this evolving landscape, election technology providers are being scrutinized for their compliance with the proposed guidelines. Clear Ballot, a leading election technology company, stands in full compliance with the spirit and intent of this executive order. Clear Ballot's voting systems are designed to provide voter-verifiable paper records where voter selections are clearly marked. Clear Ballot has always been, and remains committed to a full-face paper ballot, therefore, none of its products contain barcodes, QR codes, or summary ballots.
The Clear Ballot team is continuing to follow developments related to this Executive Order and will continue to communicate with state, federal, and industry partners. Clear Ballot anticipates varying interpretations of the executive order and its impacts, but regardless, its voting systems are fully paper-based and comply with the barcode and QR code restrictions added by the President.
About Clear Ballot
Founded as a post-election audit company in 2009, Clear Ballot has introduced a new class of tools and a modern approach to voting, enabling record speed, accuracy, and transparency. Clear Ballot entered the election industry with the nation’s first independent, automated audit in 2012 and four years later developed a complete voting system, which is now the fastest growing voting system in the industry. Clear Ballot’s election technology is currently used in 14 states, serving more than 46 million registered voters.