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The right to vote is a cornerstone of our democracy. But the process of voting is all-around terrible. While most of the country has a smartphone in its pocket, voting is archaic, requiring specialized machines, operated by local municipalities, with votes that can require manual counting.

Plus—most important of all—how do you really know your vote was counted and that it was counted correctly?

Microsoft is taking aim at building an easier-to-use, more transparent voting system. It’s created a platform called ElectionGuard, and it’s opened up the technology for any company, or citizen, to use freely. ElectionGuard is still miles away from letting you simply vote with your smartphone, but it takes major leaps forward in how we handle recounts and double-check our votes. You can fill out your ballot at home. You can verify your vote and easily change it. Plus, all of its reference hardware is accessible to people with disabilities, meaning no one needs a specialized machine to place a vote.

Read the full story here.

This newsletter was written by Mark Wilson.