Scytl, the Spain-based voting technology company which handles overseas U.S. ballots, has brought in Michelle Shafer to head communications and government affairs for its U.S. unit and new acquisition, SOE Software, ahead of the 2012 election.
Shafer is former VP of communications and external affairs for Sequoia Voting Systems and earlier worked in corporate comms. and marketing for Hart InterCivic.
Scytl got a boost from the 2009 Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, which requires U.S. jurisdictions to allow military and overseas citizens to receive and track their ballots electronically, although votes are cast by mail. It works with the Dept. of Defense and states like Florida, New York, Mississippi and West Virginia, as well as foreign governments like France, Mexico and Finland.
Scytl, which uses online technology to record votes, is a popular target of conspiracy theorists because of its foreign roots.
In January, it acquired Florida-based SOE, which makes election software used by 26 states.