For democracy to function properly, voters must trust the process. Tech-related blunders, administrative incompetence, voter suppression tactics, divisive rhetoric, misinformation campaigns and other foreign interference make voters increasingly question the fairness and accuracy of U.S. elections.
At the Iowa caucuses in early February, official results were delayed due to inconsistencies between paper documentation and a new, minimally tested app which, ironically, was intended to streamline voter tallies.
But internal inconsistencies are not new in American elections. Confusion about hanging and pregnant chads rattled voter confidence during the 2000 presidential election and ultimately, a Supreme Court vote determined the victor.
Foreign interferenceplayed a big role in 2016 and 2018 elections -- fears which have resurfaced this cycle, as little has been done since to prevent future cyber attacks on U.S. election systems or effectively manage the ever-growing social media misinformation ecosystem.
As the November general election inches closer, what can be done to prepare for worst-case scenarios? What are the most likely threats to the United States' voting system?
If an election breakdown does occur, how could the fallout affect Americans' faith in democracy? How could a lack of faith in election integrity undermine the democratic process?
Guest: Richard Hasen, law professor at University of California Irvine, founder of the Election Law Blogand author of"Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy"
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*This interview originally aired on Tuesday, March 3.
