Summary
In an era when public trust in elections is plummeting, grassroots watchdogs like SMARTelections.us are stepping in to safeguard democracy from the ground up. Host Egberto Willies of Politics Done Right spoke with founder Lulu Friesdat and technical advisor Bennie Smith about their fight to restore transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the U.S. electoral process. The conversation laid bare the systemic vulnerabilities in voting infrastructure—from insecure routers and flawed ballot machines to opaque election management systems—and highlighted the work SMARTelections is doing to protect democracy through data-driven monitoring, citizen training, and courtroom advocacy.
* Historical mistrust in elections: Election fraud and mishandling have existed for decades, but polls show distrust has skyrocketed, with more than half of Americans doubting recent presidential outcomes.
* Deep vulnerabilities in voting technology: Outdated and insecure equipment, such as Cisco routers with known flaws, remains government-approved despite being unpatchable and widely used.
* Front, middle, and back-end risks: From registration and ballot printing to vote scanning and tabulation, each stage of voting introduces potential for errors, manipulation, or mismanagement.
* SMARTelections’ grassroots model: The group trains poll watchers, collects and audits data, such as poll tape records, and escalates irregularities to the courts when necessary.
* Building broad coalitions: Operating as a nonpartisan watchdog, SMARTelections collaborates across the political spectrum with progressive, conservative, and independent organizations to strengthen election integrity.
The interview underscored that election integrity is not a partisan issue, but a matter of democratic survival. Friesdat and Smith reminded us that elections are human-made systems vulnerable to error, negligence, and even manipulation. Their call to action was urgent yet straightforward: citizens must step up, get trained, and monitor elections just as vigilantly as they campaign or cast their votes. As Lulu Friesdat noted, passion without skill is not enough—protecting democracy requires organization, expertise, and relentless vigilance.
Premium Content (Complimentary)
The interview between Egberto Willies of Politics Done Right and SMARTelections leaders Lulu Friesdat and Bennie Smith struck at the core of America’s democratic crisis: the erosion of public trust in elections. With disinformation, insecure technology, and administrative gaps threatening credibility, their work demonstrates how civic vigilance can re-anchor democracy in transparency and accountability.
A Crisis of Confidence
Poll after poll demonstrates what Friesdat emphasized: Americans simply do not trust elections. According to an NBC survey, 41% of Harris voters did not believe Trump was legitimately elected, while 70% of Trump voters rejected Biden’s legitimacy. When combined, this means that over half of voters in recent cycles believe U.S. presidential outcomes are fraudulent. That level of distrust undermines democracy itself.
Friesdat reminded listeners that this distrust is not a new phenomenon. Since the 1930s, the Brookings Institution has consistently reported on fraud and corruption in contemporary debates, and U.S. elections have long been vulnerable. What has changed is the fever pitch of polarization, making skepticism more weaponized and politically explosive.
The Vulnerability of Election Technology
Bennie Smith, Tennessee’s state election commissioner, spoke candidly about the fragility of voting technology. He cited Cisco routers with known, unpatchable vulnerabilities still listed as “approved equipment” by federal election authorities. Such reliance on obsolete tech, Smith explained, means entire election systems remain exposed to exploitation.
But the dangers extend beyond hardware. Smith and Friesdat walked through the three stages of risk: the front end, where voter registration and access occur; the middle, where ballots are printed, scanned, and tabulated; and the back end, where results are aggregated and transmitted. Each phase contains chokepoints where accidents or malicious tampering can alter outcomes.
They illustrated how touchscreen calibration errors or hidden malware can misrepresent voter choices, how ballot misprints can disenfranchise voters, and how flash drives shuttling results can be corrupted. Even “honest mistakes”—like spreadsheet misalignments in election management systems—can cascade into misallocated votes.
Citizen Watchdogs and the SMARTelections Model
This is where SMARTelections comes into play. Founded to bring data-driven oversight to elections, the organization trains ordinary citizens to become poll watchers, data collectors, and watchdogs. Their pilot programs in New York revealed troubling irregularities. In one case, nearly 700 more ballots were scanned than voters checked in. In another instance, 16 ballots were mysteriously found to have exceeded voter rolls, with reports of poll workers allegedly accepting cash bribes.
Rather than leave such anomalies unanswered, SMARTelections now takes them to court. As Friesdat explained, the organization operates on a spectrum: when no problems are found, they help validate the process; when red flags appear, they escalate them legally. Either way, they bring sunlight and accountability into systems that thrive on opacity.
Smith added that their work with poll tapes—cash-register-like receipts of vote totals posted outside polling stations—has been especially impactful. Comparing taped results to official tabulations has exposed discrepancies of 30% or more, forcing resignations and reforms.
Nonpartisan Collaboration
A key strength of SMARTelections is its insistence on nonpartisanship. Election integrity, Friesdat stressed, is not the domain of one ideology but a shared democratic necessity. SMARTelections partners with groups across the spectrum, from State Voices to the Center for Common Ground, ensuring that their oversight reflects broad civic engagement.
This approach distinguishes them from high-profile figures like Greg Palast, who focuses on voter suppression at the front end of the election process. SMARTelections complements that work by addressing the neglected “middle and back end” of voting, where technological errors and administrative oversight often go unnoticed.
The Road Ahead
Looking forward, SMARTelections is scaling its programs for the 2025 and 2026 election cycles, with an ambitious goal: raising $500,000 to create the most comprehensive election protection system in U.S. history. They plan to expand into high-stakes contests in Virginia and New York City while building regional teams nationwide.
Their mission is not glamorous, as both guests admitted. Election oversight lacks the immediate drama of campaign rallies or election night coverage. Yet, as Willies reminded them, their challenge is to “make it sexy”—to convey that nothing matters more than ensuring the integrity of the vote. Without confidence in elections, the entire democratic project collapses.
Why It Matters for Progressives
For progressives, the stakes are exceptionally high. Progress relies on democratic legitimacy. Medicare for All, climate policy, living wages, and voting rights mean little if elections themselves are distrusted. Conservatives have weaponized distrust to justify voter suppression and authoritarian control. Progressives must respond not only by fighting suppression but by defending the entire electoral ecosystem—front, middle, and back end.
SMARTelections shows what that defense looks like: citizen-led, data-driven, and unflinchingly nonpartisan. Their work embodies the principle that democracy is not self-sustaining. It must be actively protected by individuals willing to monitor, document, and hold those in power accountable.
The interview with Lulu Friesdat and Bennie Smith revealed both the fragility and resilience of American democracy. While the vulnerabilities of election technology are alarming, the determination of grassroots organizations like SMARTelections offers hope. Their message was clear: ordinary citizens can —and must —play a role in safeguarding the vote. By stepping into polling places, training as watchdogs, and demanding accountability, the public can help rebuild confidence in the very system that underpins every other fight for justice.
Democracy is not guaranteed—it is practiced, protected, and preserved. And as SMARTelections reminds us, that responsibility falls on us all.
To hear more, visit egberto.substack.com
