Tamper-Evident Seals Making Voting Booths as Secure as the Grocery Store

The online news coverer recently addressed the issuealleviate Americans' concerns over tainted foods and
of "How To Spot E-Vote Tampering." The advicebeverages, health and beauty aids, pharmaceuticals,
offered from experts on this "News for Nerds" siteindustrial, chemical and hardware. Now, vote
was: "Use tamper evident tape to seal the case, coverauthenication can be added to that growing list.
keyholes and block any open ports."A leading manufacturer, converter and printer of heat
Soon thereafter, the topic of vote tampering wentshrink PVC, PET-G, OPS & EathFirst PLA films
national and extended beyond the e-voting arena intospecializes in vibrantly printed shrink labels and heat
the paper-based vote casting. Alaska's Peninsulashrink bands. Such products are used for tamper
Clarion covered the topic when it ran an article titledevidence and shrink sleeves on promotional multipacks
"Security measures implemented by state division ofand other shrink products.
elections." Therein, it was revealed that while "Alaska'sIn addition to tamper evidence, heat shrink PVC can be
election security apparatus ... showed the system toused in many different ways. Full sleeve printed labels
be in good shape," it was still "in need of somefor product identification and sleeve labels combined
improvements."with tamper-evidence are common uses as well as
More specifically, "the University of Alaska Anchoragesleeves, either printed or clear, for multi-packing, with
released a report [that] valuated the state's electionnew products and uses for these seals popping up
system in detail and recommended ways toevery day. For instance, EarthFirst shrink labels, a PLA
strengthen the technology and election procedures."film make of corn, not oil, was recently introduced. This
Some of the recommendations proposed were: "Sealsenvironmentally friendly, compostable shrink wrap
that would reveal tampering should be used on allprovides the same excellent clarity, machineability,
voting equipment; election security information shouldprintability and secure shrinkage as oil wrap with less
be added to poll workers' training manuals; there shouldimpact on the earth.
be increased vigilance about security procedures atAs the Penisula Courier points out, "Alaska voters can
absentee polling places; and state-owned voting[now] go to the polls and cast their ballots knowing that
machines should be used in the North Slope Boroughtheir votes are secure" thanks to tamper-evident seals.
rather than borrowing borough-owned machines."The technology allows voters to now enjoy the same
The election systems manager for the Division ofpeace of mind consumers have been at the grocery
Elections assures "that tamper-evident seals havemarket, the drugstore, the pharmacy and the
been placed on all equipment." This is just one of thehardware store. What's next for the evolving
newest ways in which tamper-evident seals aretamper-evident industry? Only time will tell, but
making Americans' way of life safer and more secure.whatever it is, it's sure to include exceptional quality,
For years, heat shrink PVC, shrink bands and shrinkdesign and interesting technique.
labels for tamper-evident seals have been used to