Press Release

For Release: June 21, 2018

Secretary of State candidate Mark Meuser Calls Out Los Angeles County for “Shady” Deal with Foreign Company to Operate Elections

Los Angeles — Secretary of State candidate Mark Meuser is questioning the decision by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for approving a controversial voting system that is slated to cost taxpayers upwards of $250 million, that was developed in Venezuela, and according to the United States Election System Commission is not qualified to operate in the United States.

The Supervisors signed a contract with the Venezuelan Smartmatic, who’s Chairman is Lord Mark Malloch-Brown of the United Kingdom, President is Roger Pinate of Venezuela.

Smartmatic has been operating elections in the Philippines since 2010, but not without controversy, constant calls to cancel the contract, and ban it.

The Manila Times: Get rid of Smartmatic!

Interaksyon: House Minority wants probe of Comelec-Smartmatic deal for purchase of vote-counting machines

Manila Bulletin: Why is Comelec still doing business with Smartmatic?

Inquirer: Sotto informant claims 2016 poll results ‘altered’

According to the USESC and the California Secretary of State, Smartmatic does not have any voting system that has been tested and certified for use in the United States or California. Los Angeles County is the first county in the United States to hire Smartmatic.

“At a time when there is so much discussion about foreign influence in our elections, the decision of LA County to use a company with ties to the Venezuelan government show a lack of discernment by the board,” Meuser said. “California needs less partisan politics when it comes to the maintaining of our elections. However, at first glance, it appears LA County is going the exact opposite direction.”

“LA County has been talking for years that they were going to create an open source system that would help reduce the cost of election technology around the world while bring more transparency to our elections,” Meuser said. “Instead, LA County appears to be entering into a contract which a company with a shady past.”