NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2025
Contact:
Matt Beaton, Franklin County Auditor
Phone: 509-545-3840
Email: Auditor@FranklinCountyWA.Gov
Franklin County Auditor Welcomes Acquisition of Dominion Voting Systems
by Liberty Vote, Reinforcing Commitment to Election Integrity
Pasco, WA – The Franklin County Auditor's Office is pleased to share the
recent acquisition of Dominion Voting Systems by Liberty Vote, a St.
Louis-based company dedicated to advancing secure and transparent election
technology. This move marks a positive step forward for election integrity
nationwide, particularly as Franklin County continues to rely on Liberty Votes
paired with paper ballots to ensure accurate, verifiable elections.
Liberty Vote, founded and led by Scott Leiendecker—a former Republican
elections director for St. Louis County with decades of experience in election
administration—brings a fresh focus on American-owned innovation. Leiendecker,
who also established KNOWiNK (the nation's leading provider of electronic poll
books), has committed Liberty Vote to prioritizing paper-based transparency,
security, and simplicity. "Liberty Vote signals a new chapter for American
elections—one where trust is rebuilt from the ground up," Leiendecker
stated in the official announcement. The company emphasizes 100% domestic
ownership, compliance with recent federal executive orders on voting,
third-party audits, voter ID requirements, and restrictions on mail-in voting
to safeguard against potential vulnerabilities.
This acquisition is especially beneficial for election integrity, as it
addresses lingering concerns from past elections by rebranding and refocusing
on verifiable, paper-based systems that enable thorough audits and accurate
ballot counting. In Franklin County, where we already utilize Dominion
equipment alongside hand-marked paper ballots, this transition aligns
seamlessly with our rigorous standards for security and transparency. It
ensures continued reliability while enhancing public confidence through Liberty
Vote's pledges to domestic development and simplified processes that prioritize
voter assurance.
“During the tumultuous times
following the serious questions and loss of public trust surrounding elections
that used Dominion Software in the 2020 Presidential national election, a
Franklin County review determined that paper ballots, audits, and clean voter
rolls are foundational to election administration that Americans can trust,”
said Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton. “The acquisition by Liberty Vote not only preserves the high-quality
systems we depend on but also strengthens them by renewing a focus on
American-led integrity measures that were evident at that time. Our residents
can rest assured that every vote will be counted and recorded, with paper
trails and independent verification. All that remains is for our state to
ensure that we have clean voter rolls, which are foundational to election
administration that Americans can trust, and embrace the review and verification
by the DOJ that our voter rolls are clean."
The Franklin County Auditor's Office will monitor the transition closely
and provide updates as needed. For more information on our election processes,
visit www.franklincountywa.gov/210/Auditor or contact our office.
About the Franklin County Auditor's Office: The Franklin County Auditor's Office
oversees accounting and financial reporting, recording, the Department of
Licensing, and manages election administration in collaboration with the Board
of Elections. Committed to transparency and public service, we ensure efficient
and impartial operations for all citizens.
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