VSAP Quotes from Key Stakeholders

Alex Padilla, California Secretary of State

“The certification of the first publicly owned voting system in the nation is a historic milestone for American democracy. VSAP is a big step forward in modernizing elections in Los Angeles County, which has been home to some of the oldest voting equipment in the state. Upgrading to a modern system will improve the long-term reliability and security of elections in the largest county in America. I appreciate Los Angeles County’s efforts to engage a broad range of stakeholders and to seek community input during their years long design and testing process. Elections officials have a duty to make voting both as secure and as accessible as possible.”

Dean Logan, LA County Registrar Recorder/County Clerk

“This is a significant advancement for Los Angeles County. I want to thank our design and manufacturing partners and all the stakeholders, usability experts and technical advisors who have worked over the past decade to modernize the voting experience with and for Los Angeles County voters,” said

“It is appropriate and expected that the VSAP system would undergo unprecedented review and testing. The responsibility for administering elections in the nation’s largest, most complex voting jurisdiction using a publicly owned voting system warrants a high standard of achievement and security. The County stands firm in its commitment to meet or exceed that standard.”

Justin Levitt, LA County VSAP Advisory Committee Member; Law Professor, Loyola Marymount University Law School

“This certification is the product of a nationally unique process with immense stakeholder outreach and an unusual devotion of time, patience, vision, and support from county officials. LA voters should be proud that they’ll be using a system designed with the flexibility to meet the needs of the most populous and in many ways most diverse jurisdiction in the country, in 2020 and well beyond.”

Whitney Quesenbery, Co-Director, Center for Civic Design

“The Voting Systems for All People is an important advance – most importantly, that everyone of the ballot marking devices is fully accessible and includes every language the County supports, ending segregation of voters with disabilities, low literacy, or who need to vote in an alternative language.”

Fred Nisen, Supervising Attorney, Disability Rights California

"Since Los Angeles County's VSAP design project began in 2009, Disability Rights California and other disability advocates have been involved to ensure the system's overall accessibility for voters with disabilities.” Virtually every new prototype that the County rolled out had more accessibility features. We are pleased to see the system move forward."

Antonio Mugica, Smartmatic CEO

“We are proud to be part of the accomplishments and innovation the VSAP project brings to voters. It sets a new standard for accessibility, reliability and integrity that we believe will significantly advance secure elections in the US. We believe that these strides help to define the future of voting in America for generations to come.”

Gracia Hillman, Director, Smartmatic USA Board

“As a former commissioner and chairman of the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC), I have seen a great many varieties of election automation. I believe the VSAP is unique among them in that it is a tangible manifestation of the voter’s will. Their voices helped shape this technology and it’s evident in its form and function. I have no doubt that other jurisdictions will study the VSAP project as they look to secure the future of their election processes.”

 Paul DeGregorio, Director, Smartmatic USA Board

“My experience leading the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) informs my opinion of voting technology, and I believe VSAP is a model for future automated elections—not just in the United States—but in democracies worldwide. Secure and transparent voting is the only way to ensure the integrity of an election. The VSAP model supports this in a way that encourages voter participation and simplified event management for election officials.”