Public commenters urge steps on voting‑machine audits and foreign components
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Summary
During white‑card public comment, multiple speakers said Louisiana's voting machines contain foreign components and urged a statutory ban and auditability; election‑system officials were not present to respond and lawmakers said they would examine existing rules and prior bills.
During the public‑comment portion, multiple citizens addressed members of the task force about election security and foreign influence. Christie Hike (president, Louisiana Republican Assembly) said forensic analysts cannot inspect proprietary voting‑machine software in Louisiana and urged a prohibition on foreign‑made components in election systems. "There's currently not 1 voting machine vending company in The United States that has all made in America parts," she said, and called current auditability practices insufficient.
Bert Kiley, who serves on a parish board of election supervisors, and Chris Alexander amplified concerns about the lack of a public hand‑countable ballot and urged legislation to require U.S.‑made components and to revisit previously defeated bills such as a prohibition on foreign purchases near critical infrastructure (SB226 was referenced in testimony as a past filing). Martha Huckaby and JC Harmon urged attention to grid hardening and to engineers who claim to have protections; lawmakers said they are looking into grid and infrastructure protections and thanked the public commenters for their input.
No formal action was taken; lawmakers asked staff to review past bills and enforcement options and closed the hearing.