An emergency meeting of the Virginia State Board of Elections last Friday decertified the voting machines used by the City of Falls Church in its elections in a like manner to moves in jurisdictions throughout the state, based on new developments that have made hacking of the systems a plausible risk.

As reported by the Falls Church Registrar David Bjerke and the local Electoral Board in a News-Press guest commentary, alternative machines known as “digital scanners” with provision for effective “paper trails,” were identified for a swift substitution this week in advance of the beginning of absentee balloting for this Nov. 7 election, and the City Council voted the funds Monday to acquire them in time for use in time for this election.