Dominion Voting Systems Sold to GOP-Linked Firm
Dominion Voting Systems, the Denver-based voting equipment company at the center of 2020 election conspiracy theories, has been acquired by Liberty Vote, a newly formed firm led by Scott Leiendecker, a former St. Louis elections director and owner of the election technology company KNOWiNK.
The sale, announced Thursday, marks a striking shift for one of the most scrutinized companies in American elections. Dominion’s new parent company says it intends to follow former President Donald Trump’s executive order on voting system reform — an order multiple federal judges have since blocked as unconstitutional.
Liberty Vote’s Rebrand and Promises
The new company’s announcement emphasized that Dominion will now be “100% American-owned,” a line widely seen as an attempt to address false claims that Dominion was linked to foreign interests, including the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez.
Liberty Vote’s press release also pledged to prioritize “paper-based transparency” and “hand-marked paper ballots,” despite the fact that nearly all U.S. voting systems already provide paper records.
“Liberty Vote is committed to building election technology that restores confidence through transparency,” Leiendecker said, adding that the firm aims to align with Trump’s 2024 executive order on voting security — a controversial move, since the order remains legally suspended.
Trump’s Executive Order and Legal Challenges
Trump’s executive order, issued last spring, sought to overhaul national election procedures by banning machines that produce barcodes or QR-coded paper ballots, currently used in 19 states. Federal courts quickly ruled the order unconstitutional, holding that the president lacks authority over state-level election systems, which are governed by state laws and Congress.
By signaling intent to comply with the suspended order, Liberty Vote has positioned itself politically — a rarity among voting equipment firms, which typically strive for strict neutrality given their bipartisan customer base.
From Dominion to Liberty Vote: A Company Under Fire
Since 2020, Dominion has been at the center of widespread misinformation campaigns alleging election fraud, despite numerous audits and court rulings finding no evidence of wrongdoing.
The company’s former CEO John Poulos confirmed the sale in a short statement:
“Liberty Vote has acquired Dominion Voting Systems.”
Dominion’s reputation suffered after being falsely accused of “flipping votes” in the 2020 election — claims repeated by Trump allies and right-wing outlets. The company won a $787 million defamation settlement from Fox News in 2023, followed by a $67 million settlement with Newsmax in early 2025.
The terms of Dominion’s sale were not disclosed, though Leiendecker reportedly personally financed the acquisition through KNOWiNK.
Mixed Reaction in Election Circles
While some Republican-leaning counties welcomed the rebrand, others expressed concern that Liberty Vote’s political framing could jeopardize bipartisan trust in election systems.
Stephen Richer, former Maricopa County Recorder in Arizona — and himself targeted by Trump’s allies for defending the 2020 results — told reporters:
“KNOWiNK has always had a good reputation in the field. They’ve been nonpartisan and professional.”
Election integrity advocates, however, cautioned that aligning with a partisan executive order — especially one ruled unconstitutional — could create new obstacles for states that continue to use Dominion systems.
The Broader Picture
The Dominion-to-Liberty Vote sale highlights the enduring impact of 2020 election misinformation, and how political polarization continues to shape the multibillion-dollar election technology industry.
Although the rebrand appears designed to rebuild trust among conservative voters, critics warn it could deepen partisan divides over voting integrity — an issue still central to Trump’s 2024 campaign message.
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