Former GOP election official buys Dominion Voting Systems, promises 'paper-based transparency'

Dominion Voting Systems has reportedly been sold to a company run by a former Republican election official. Dominion, one of the largest election equipment providers, came into the spotlight during the 2020 election when questions were raised about the company’s machines. The company has won several settlements with figures and media outlets over claims that Dominion’s machines were to blame for Trump’s loss. 

A person familiar with the purchase told Axios that Liberty Vote, a Missouri-based company owned by Scott Leiendecker, had bought Dominion for an undisclosed sum. Leiendecker created a software program in 2011 that focuses on enabling election workers to check in voters at polling locations and verify voters. The company, KNOWiNK, is described as the "nation’s leading provider of electronic poll books" and is said to be used by more than a third of US states. 

In the wake of the 2000 election, then-Missouri secretary of state Matt Blunt, a Republican, appointed Leiendecker to a role investigating St Louis’ elections administration. Blunt later appointed Leiendecker to be St Louis’ Republican election director when Blunt served as governor. 

Liberty Vote officials gave Axios a statement from Nevada's Democratic secretary of state, Cisco Aguilar, who described Leiendecker as "open, honest and transparent."

Leiendecker told the outlet that his company is "committed to delivering election technology that prioritizes paper-based transparency, security and simplicity so that voters can be assured that every ballot is filled-in accurately and fairly counted."

He continued, "Liberty Vote signals a new chapter for American elections — one where trust is rebuilt from the ground up."

A representative for the company said that it would conduct a "top-down" review of Dominion’s equipment ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, and that the company would "rebuild or retire" machines as needed. 

In the wake of the 2020 election, Dominion secured several multi-million dollar settlements from defamation cases launched over comments linking the machines to Trump’s loss. Fox News settled the case for $787.5 million, Newsmax settled for $67 million, among other settlements. 

Liberty officials asked Dominion to settle, as part of the deal, several other defamation lawsuits launched against Trump allies. Dominion has reportedly reached undisclosed settlements with Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and One America News Network in recent weeks. Giuliani and Powell had been sued for $1.3 billion each, and sued OANN for $1.6 billion.

Dominion’s website now redirects to Liberty Vote, with a statement from Leiendecker reading, "My Fellow Americans, Today, I am proud to announce Liberty Vote — a 100% American‐owned election technology company dedicated to restoring trust in our elections. Our mission is clear: every vote must be secure, fair, and verifiable."

"I have spent my life working to strengthen America's elections. That commitment began years ago, in the aftermath of the 2000 election, when I worked for the Missouri Secretary of State. Later, as Election Director in St. Louis, I led the effort to modernize outdated systems and rebuild public trust. Eventually, I founded an election technology company that today serves nearly one in four voters nationwide."

With Liberty Vote, we are building on that legacy. We are turning the page and beginning the vital work of restoring faith in American elections. While these changes will not happen overnight, Liberty Vote's mission is rooted in American values and committed to transparency, independent audits, and verifiable paper records. Our purpose is simple: to ensure that America's elections are secure, fair, and honest.