America's aging voting equipment could remain in use for decades without significant federal investment, according to a new report from the Bipartisan Policy Center released Friday. The analysis found that by the next presidential election, the average age of voting machines across the country will reach 9.3 years, approaching the point at which jurisdictions typically seek replacements.
The research comes as election officials in states like Louisiana describe machines so old that they must harvest parts from decommissioned units to keep others operational. "Replacement parts are no longer manufactured," Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry told a state Senate committee earlier this year. "Simply put, the system has reached the end of its life cycle."
The BPC report estimates that replacing all voting equipment nationwide with systems certified to the latest federal security standards would cost approximately $2.71 billion. Those standards, known as Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 (VVSG 2.0), include requirements for auditable paper records and other security measures.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative observers note that President Trump highlighted voting system guidelines in his executive order on elections last year, indicating administration interest in modernizing equipment. Some Republicans have emphasized states' rights to manage their own election administration, arguing that local control allows jurisdictions to respond to specific community needs.
The BPC report itself reflects bipartisan authorship, and its findings emphasize that the decentralized nature of American elections means change happens gradually regardless of federal action. The current Congress has appropriated limited funding for election improvements, with just $60 million in each of the past two years compared to more than $800 million allocated before 2020.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic lawmakers and election security advocates have long called for increased federal funding to modernize voting infrastructure. They argue that the fragmented, state-by-state approach to election administration has left vulnerabilities unaddressed.
"When you upgrade new voting equipment, voters feel those benefits," said Will Adler, an elections expert at the Bipartisan Policy Center who co-authored the report. "Just think about all the benefits you get when you get a new phone or you get a new computer; it runs faster, it's easier to use, it's more secure."
After the contested 2000 presidential election, Congress allocated more than $3 billion for election infrastructure improvements. Advocates contend that similar action is warranted now, noting that public confidence in elections remains a concern for many voters.
What the Numbers Show
The Bipartisan Policy Center's key findings include: the average voting equipment age will reach 9.3 years by the next presidential election; complete nationwide replacement under current funding levels would not be finished until the 2040s; estimated total cost of full replacement is $2.71 billion based on historical pricing and manufacturer projections; Congress previously allocated over $3 billion following the 2000 election; recent federal appropriations have totaled only $60 million over two years, down from $800+ million before 2020.
VVSG 2.0 standards require all voting systems to include auditable paper records, a practice that has become more common in recent elections but is now mandated under the new guidelines.
The Bottom Line
The gap between aging voting equipment and modern security standards presents both a challenge and an opportunity for federal policymakers. Without additional congressional action, the BPC projects it could take until the 2040s before VVSG 2.0-compliant systems become standard nationwide. With significant federal investment similar to post-2000 funding levels, that timeline could be accelerated considerably.
President Trump's executive order on elections has elevated voting system guidelines as a priority for his administration. What remains unclear is whether executive attention will translate into legislative action on the funding side. Watch for any supplemental appropriations requests or discussions within Congress about election infrastructure spending ahead of upcoming election cycles.