VotingWorks
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Overview
VotingWorks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds open-source, secure election technology systems for U.S. voting. Their platform includes hand-marked paper ballots, ballot-marking devices, tabulators, and built-in audit tools. They emphasize radical transparency by publishing all source code and documentation for public review.
By the Numbers
Founders
Ben Adida is a cryptographer and software engineer with a PhD from MIT, previously a security engineer at Mozilla and creator of the open-source voting protocol Helios. He has dedicated his career to making election technology more trustworthy and transparent.
He built Helios, one of the first widely used open-source web-based voting systems, years before founding VotingWorks.
Funding
Competitors
Large commercial vendor with proprietary software and widespread market share; closed-source unlike VotingWorks
The largest U.S. voting machine company by market share; fully proprietary, for-profit
Commercial election technology vendor serving mid-sized jurisdictions; proprietary and for-profit
Commercial vendor emphasizing audit tools but still proprietary; targets similar transparency-conscious buyers
Revenue & Model
Hiring Signals
Tech Stack
Notable Customers
Web Presence
Verified from public records — not AI-estimated.
How They're Doing
VotingWorks has deployed its systems in real elections in multiple U.S. states including New Hampshire and Mississippi, gaining credibility as a legitimate alternative to commercial vendors. As a nonprofit, it operates on a mission-driven model, providing affordable and auditable systems to jurisdictions looking for transparent alternatives. The organization remains small but has demonstrated technical viability in live election environments.
●Successfully deployed tabulation systems in New Hampshire primary elections
●Published fully open-source codebase on GitHub for public security review
●Gained attention from election integrity advocates and academic researchers
Prognosis
VotingWorks is well-positioned to capitalize on growing demand for election technology transparency following years of public distrust in voting systems. Adoption will likely remain slow due to the conservative procurement culture of local election officials, but a few high-profile successful deployments could accelerate interest. Long-term success depends on sustaining nonprofit funding and navigating complex state certification processes.
●Growing bipartisan demand for transparent, auditable election technology post-2020
●Federal and state funding for election security improvements (e.g., HAVA funds)
●Expansion into more counties and states as certification approvals accumulate
●Complex and expensive state-by-state voting system certification requirements
●Entrenched commercial incumbents with long-standing relationships with election officials
●Dependence on philanthropic funding which can be unpredictable
●Political targeting and misinformation campaigns against any election technology vendor
Recent News
VotingWorks systems used in New Hampshire elections, drawing national attention to open-source voting
Various election integrity press
VotingWorks completes pilot deployments ahead of midterm elections in select jurisdictions
VotingWorks blog
VotingWorks receives additional philanthropic funding to expand certification efforts
VotingWorks
Fun Facts
- 01VotingWorks is one of the only U.S. voting system vendors that lets any member of the public verify the software running on the machines in about 30 seconds.
- 02The founder Ben Adida built Helios, an internet voting system used by organizations like IACR, before pivoting to paper-based systems after concluding internet voting was too risky.
- 03The entire codebase is publicly viewable on GitHub, making it a radical outlier in the typically secretive election technology industry.
Timeline
Systems used in New Hampshire elections, gaining national media coverage
Achieved certification and completed first real-election deployments in Mississippi counties
Began state certification process in multiple states for VxSuite election management system
Secured initial philanthropic funding from Democracy Fund and other election integrity donors
First prototype systems developed and shared publicly on GitHub
VotingWorks founded by Ben Adida as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on open-source election technology