Hart InterCivic

Hart InterCivic is a privately held American election-technology and election-services company headquartered in Austin, Texas. It supplies voting equipment, election management systems, election data and document services, and related support to state and local government jurisdictions. Its products have been used by hundreds of jurisdictions across the United States, including statewide deployments in Hawaii and Oklahoma and substantial county-level deployments in Texas, Washington, Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The company's roots extend to 1912, when the broader Hart business began printing ballots for Texas counties. The modern company developed from Hart Graphics, Inc.'s document-services operations. In 1989, the election and government-services business was organized as Hart Forms & Services. It changed its name to Hart Information Services in 1995 to reflect a broader role in document management and election-related services. During the following several years, the business expanded through acquisitions, including Texas County Printing & Services, Computer Link Corporation, and Worldwide Election Systems. Worldwide had developed the eSlate direct-recording electronic voting system, which became one of Hart's principal election products. Hart separated from Hart Graphics in 1999 and adopted the name Hart InterCivic in 2000. The new name expressed the company's intended role as an intermediary among election authorities, technology systems, and citizens. In the mid-2000s, Hart also entered the geographic information systems sector through the acquisition of Farragut Systems, although that business was later spun back out. In 2011, H.I.G. Capital made what Hart described as a strategic investment; advisers to the transaction characterized it as an acquisition. Hart was no longer identified as an H.I.G. portfolio company on the investment firm's website by July 2020. Hart's business has included both hardware and services. Its eSlate system was designed with accessibility in mind and used a Select Wheel and physical push-button interface rather than a conventional touchscreen. The company later developed the Verity voting system, a broader platform intended to support election management, ballot creation, voting, tabulation, reporting, and related administrative workflows. Hart also provides implementation, maintenance, election support, and voter-facing services to jurisdictions. Because election technology is used in legally regulated and politically sensitive environments, Hart's systems have undergone state certification procedures and public reviews. California conducted a comprehensive review of Hart equipment in 2007, withdrawing approval temporarily before issuing conditional reapproval. An Ohio-commissioned review later identified critical concerns affecting all five voting systems examined in that state, including Hart equipment. Hart products were also involved in public discussion surrounding a display and ballot-selection issue reported during the 2018 Texas general election. State election officials described the matter as a rendering or interface problem rather than arbitrary machine switching and warned against misinformation. These events illustrate the scrutiny applied to Hart and other voting-system vendors, but they do not by themselves establish that election results were changed. Hart remains an active supplier of election technologies and services to American government jurisdictions.

Hart InterCivic traces its institutional history to the Hart business's work printing ballots for Texas counties in 1912. The election-related operation was later associated with Hart Graphics, Inc., a document-production and information-services company. In 1989, the business was established as a subsidiary named Hart Forms & Services. Its scope broadened beyond forms production, and in 1995 it became Hart Information Services, Inc. The company expanded during the second half of the 1990s through acquisitions of Texas County Printing & Services, Computer Link Corporation, and Worldwide Election Systems. These deals increased its presence in election services and brought in the eSlate voting system, developed by Worldwide. eSlate was a direct-recording electronic voting machine designed to accommodate voters with disabilities. Rather than relying on a conventional touchscreen, it used a Select Wheel and digital push buttons. Hart Information Services became independent of Hart Graphics in 1999. In 2000, it adopted the name Hart InterCivic, reflecting a mission centered on the interaction among election technology, public authorities, and citizens. The company subsequently operated across several government-technology fields. During the mid-2000s it entered geographic information systems through the acquisition of Farragut Systems, but later spun that business back out and returned its focus to election and related government services. Hart's election business has included voting hardware, ballot-scanning equipment, election management software, tabulation, reporting, document services, and customer support. The Verity platform represents the company's integrated election-system offering, while eSlate became a notable earlier product used by numerous jurisdictions. Hart's equipment and services have been deployed in hundreds of American jurisdictions, including all of Hawaii and Oklahoma and large numbers of counties in Texas and other states. The company has faced recurring regulatory and technical scrutiny because voting technology is subject to state certification and election-integrity requirements. In 2007, California's secretary of state withdrew approval for Hart optical-scan and direct-recording electronic systems during a top-to-bottom review and later issued conditional reapproval. That same year, an Ohio review commissioned by the state's leading elections official reported critical weaknesses across all five voting systems examined, one of which was supplied by Hart. In 2006, a former Hart technician filed a qui tam complaint alleging misleading statements about system accuracy, testing, reliability, and security; the available reference does not provide a final disposition. Hart equipment was again discussed during the 2018 Texas general election. An advisory addressed a possible interface behavior on eSlate machines in which selections could appear affected when voters interacted with an incompletely rendered summary page. A subsequent state advisory characterized the matter as neither arbitrary vote switching nor a machine malfunction and also addressed the spread of misinformation. These episodes demonstrate the importance of certification, testing, usability, accessibility, and transparent public communication in the election-technology sector. In July 2011, H.I.G. Capital made a strategic investment in Hart, while transaction advisers described the deal as an acquisition. By July 2020, H.I.G. no longer listed Hart as an investment on its website. Hart remains described as a privately held company based in Austin and continues to provide election technologies and services to government jurisdictions in the United States.

• 2018

  Texas issues eSlate election advisories

  [1]Hart InterCivicen.wikipedia.org

  Texas election officials addressed a reported eSlate interface issue and later clarified that the machines were not arbitrarily changing votes.

• 2011

  H.I.G. Capital makes a strategic investment

  [1]Hart InterCivicen.wikipedia.org

  H.I.G. Capital invested in Hart in a transaction described by Hart as strategic and by advisers as an acquisition.

• 2007

  California conducts a comprehensive equipment review

  [1]Hart InterCivicen.wikipedia.org

  California temporarily withdrew approval for Hart optical-scan and direct-recording systems before conditionally restoring it.

• 2000

  Adopts the Hart InterCivic name

  [1]Hart InterCivicen.wikipedia.org

  The company became Hart InterCivic Inc., emphasizing its relationship with government agencies and citizens.

• 1999

  Separates from Hart Graphics

  [1]Hart InterCivicen.wikipedia.org

  Hart Information Services completed its separation from Hart Graphics.

• 1995

  Renamed Hart Information Services

  [1]Hart InterCivicen.wikipedia.org

  The subsidiary adopted Hart Information Services, reflecting its broader document-management and government-services activities.

• 1989

  Hart Forms & Services established

  [1]Hart InterCivicen.wikipedia.org

  The election and document-services operation was organized as a subsidiary of Hart Graphics under the name Hart Forms & Services.

• 1912

  Hart business begins printing ballots

  [1]Hart InterCivicen.wikipedia.org

  The broader Hart business entered election-related work by printing ballots for Texas counties.

A specialized election-technology provider serving state and local government jurisdictions, with an emphasis on integrated voting systems, election administration software, accessibility, and operational support.

• Integrated election system

  Verity

  Verity is Hart InterCivic's integrated election technology platform. It is associated with election management, ballot preparation, voting, tabulation, reporting, and administrative workflows. The platform is intended for government jurisdictions that need coordinated hardware, software, and support across the election lifecycle. Its role reflects Hart's shift from supplying individual voting devices toward providing broader election infrastructure and services.

• Direct-recording electronic voting system

  eSlate

  eSlate is Hart InterCivic's direct-recording electronic voting system, originally developed by Worldwide Election Systems before that company became part of Hart's expansion. Its interface uses a Select Wheel and digital push buttons instead of a conventional touchscreen and was designed to support voters with disabilities. The system was deployed in multiple jurisdictions, including many Texas counties, and became the subject of regulatory and usability discussions.

• Ballot scanning and tabulation equipment

  Hart optical-scan systems

  Hart's optical-scan equipment processes paper ballots and supports election tabulation workflows. The systems have been evaluated and certified by state election authorities, including California, where Hart equipment underwent a major review in 2007. Exact model names and current availability are not established in the supplied reference material.

• Election administration services

  Election management and support services

  Hart provides election-related services alongside its equipment and software. These activities include ballot and election document production, implementation assistance, system maintenance, technical support, election operations support, and voter-facing services. The offering is designed for state and local government customers rather than ordinary consumer markets.

• 2018

  Texas eSlate interface controversy

  A reported eSlate display and interaction issue during the Texas general election prompted official advisories. State officials later said the machines were not malfunctioning or arbitrarily switching straight-party selections and warned about misinformation concerning election integrity.

  Source

• 2007

  State reviews of Hart voting equipment

  California temporarily withdrew approval for Hart systems during a comprehensive review and conditionally restored approval. An Ohio-commissioned report the same year identified critical flaws in every voting system examined, including one made by Hart.

  Source

• 2006

  Qui tam allegations concerning voting-system claims

  Former Hart computer technician William Singer filed a qui tam complaint alleging that Hart made false statements about the accuracy, testing, reliability, and security of its voting systems. The supplied reference does not establish the case's final outcome.

  Source

Read more

• 2011

  Accepts H.I.G. Capital investmentM&A

  Background

  Hart sought outside strategic capital as a privately held election-technology company.

  Action taken

  H.I.G. Capital made an investment that Hart called strategic; transaction advisers described it as an acquisition.

  Aftermath

  H.I.G. later ceased listing Hart on its website by July 2020, while the available material does not specify the subsequent ownership structure.

  Source

• 2000

  Rebrands as Hart InterCivicStrategy

  Background

  The company wanted its name to communicate a broader relationship among election technology, government jurisdictions, and citizens.

  Action taken

  Hart Information Services became Hart InterCivic Inc.

  Aftermath

  Hart InterCivic became the operating identity for the company's election technology and government-services business.

  Source

• 1999

  Separates from Hart GraphicsStrategy

  Background

  The election and information-services operation had developed into a standalone business.

  Action taken

  Hart Information Services spun off completely from Hart Graphics.

  Aftermath

  The independent company adopted the Hart InterCivic name in 2000.

  Source

• 1989

  Creates a dedicated government-services subsidiaryStrategy

  Background

  Hart Graphics' election and document-services activities were becoming a distinct business within the broader company.

  Action taken

  The operation was organized as Hart Forms & Services.

  Aftermath

  The subsidiary later broadened its scope and became the foundation of Hart InterCivic.

  Source

1. 1Hart InterCivicen.wikipedia.org