Missouri election officials are expressing optimism about recent federal certification milestones for election technology developed by companies founded by former Missouri elections administrator Scott Leiendecker.
Leiendecker, who began his career in the Missouri Secretary of State’s office and later served as elections director for the City of St. Louis, is the founder of election technology companies KNOWiNK and Liberty Vote. Both companies have recently advanced through federal certification processes overseen by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
KNOWiNK’s electronic poll book system, Poll Pad, received certification for its latest version, Poll Pad v4.0.2, from the Election Assistance Commission on Dec. 15, 2025. The certification was granted under the commission’s Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Certification Requirements following testing through the Election Supporting Technology Evaluation Program.
Earlier in 2025, Poll Pad became the first electronic poll book in the country to receive federal certification from the commission.
Local election officials say the certification provides additional assurance that the technology meets national standards.
“As election officials, we depend on technology that works when it matters most, on Election Day,” said Cole County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer, whose office uses Poll Pad. “KNOWiNK has proven itself in real-world elections, and their commitment to federal certification gives us added confidence that the tools we’re using meet the highest national standards for security and accessibility.”
St. Louis County Elections Director Eric Fey said the certification reinforces trust in a tool widely used by election workers.
“The federal certification of Poll Pad is huge for local election offices,” Fey said. “It validates the trust we place in this tool every election. Officials want technology that’s easy for workers to use, secure for voters, and accessible to everyone who participates in the process.”
Meanwhile, Liberty Vote has submitted its new voting system, Frontier 1.0, to the Election Assistance Commission for certification under the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0, the most recent federal standards governing voting technology. The system was submitted for review on Nov. 25, 2025, and is currently undergoing testing.
Boone County Clerk Briana Lennon said the certification process provides transparency and independent evaluation of election systems.
“Having worked with Scott and the KNOWiNK team, I have witnessed their commitment to pursuing and maintaining federal certification for their products,” Lennon said. “It demonstrates that they understand what election officials need, systems built with security and accessibility at the forefront and validated against the highest national standards.”
Jasper County Clerk Charlie Davis said the submission shows a commitment to meeting strict security requirements.
“Seeing these systems submitted for federal certification ensures they will meet the rigorous standards of security and transparency we require of our election technology providers,” Davis said.
Federal certification through the Election Assistance Commission is voluntary but widely recognized within the election administration community. Systems submitted for certification undergo testing by independent laboratories to verify compliance with standards related to security, accessibility, performance and auditability.
Liberty Vote currently supports election technology used by jurisdictions serving more than 54 million voters across 26 states.
Election officials say the continued pursuit of federal certification by technology providers offers an added layer of assurance as local jurisdictions plan for future elections.
