Judge to hear arguments in Georgia voting machine case

ATLANTA (AP) — A federal judge is considering whether to order Georgia to immediately stop using its outdated voting machines.

A lawsuit filed by election integrity activists argues that the paperless touchscreen voting machines Georgia has used since 2002 are unsecure, vulnerable to hacking and can’t be audited. It seeks statewide use of hand-marked paper ballots.

A law passed this year and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp provides specifications for a new system, and state officials have said will be in place for the 2020 presidential election.

But the plaintiffs are asking the judge to order the state to immediately stop using the current system, which it still plans to use for special and municipal elections this year.

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg has scheduled a hearing Thursday on those requests.