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Dominion Voting Systems’ Use of Serbian Contractors: A Threat to U.S. Election Integrity


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The integrity of U.S. elections depends on robust security and public trust, yet Dominion Voting Systems’ employment of Serbian contractors for election-related work raises serious concerns about national sovereignty and potential vulnerabilities. While no evidence suggests Dominion violated U.S. law, the involvement of foreign nationals in developing or supporting election technology is inherently problematic and warrants scrutiny. This paper examines the risks posed by Dominion’s use of Serbian contractors, drawing on public documents released by Sheriff Dar Leaf, and argues for reforms to ensure U.S. elections remain exclusively domestic.

Foreign Involvement in Critical Infrastructure

Elections are critical national infrastructure, requiring the highest standards of security. Dominion Voting Systems, a leading U.S. election technology provider, operates an office in Belgrade, Serbia, where it employs contractors for software development and technical support (CSO Online, 2025). Sheriff Dar Leaf of Barry County, Michigan, has released over 2,100 pages of Dominion emails, obtained through court discovery, showing Serbian contractors accessing systems for tasks such as troubleshooting and testing (Detroit News, 2024). For example, an April 2020 email references a login from Kosovo, while a November 2020 email shows a Serbian staffer addressing safety concerns in Belgrade (The Midwesterner, 2024). In a March 2024 letter to U.S. Representative Jim Jordan, Leaf claimed: “Serbian foreign nationals [accessed] our election system while votes were being counted,” raising questions about the extent of foreign involvement (The Midwesterner, 2024).


Although Dominion asserts its voting machines are air-gapped—disconnected from the internet during voting—and denies live election system access by Serbian staff, the presence of foreign nationals in the election technology pipeline introduces risks (Dominion Voting Systems, 2024). Software developed or tested abroad could contain unintentional errors or deliberate vulnerabilities, particularly if contractors are not subject to U.S.-based vetting. Leaf’s March 2024 affidavit alleges Dominion could not fully background-check Serbian employees due to Serbia’s privacy laws, though this claim remains unverified (WOODTV, 2024). Serbia’s non-NATO status and geopolitical ties amplify concerns about foreign influence, even absent evidence of state-sponsored interference (CSO Online, 2025). The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has identified vulnerabilities in Dominion’s Democracy Suite ImageCast X, such as potential barcode manipulation with physical access, though no exploitation has been documented (CNN Politics, 2022). Foreign contractors’ proximity to such systems heightens the risk, whether real or perceived.


Erosion of Public Trust

Public confidence in U.S. elections is fragile, with 30% of Americans expressing doubts about electoral integrity following the 2020 election (Gallup, 2021). Dominion’s use of Serbian contractors exacerbates this distrust, given its role in 28 states during 2020 (Wikipedia, 2025). Publicly released emails, such as those detailing Serbian contractors’ work on a California test project, suggest a level of access that many voters would find unacceptable, even if limited to pre-election tasks (Detroit News, 2024). The optics of foreign involvement are particularly damaging in the context of 2020’s controversies, including expanded drop boxes and election rule changes, which fueled skepticism about electoral processes (Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, 2021). Dominion’s aggressive defamation lawsuits against critics, such as a $787.5 million settlement with Fox News, further stifle discussion and leave questions about their practices unanswered (New York Times, 2024).


The perception of foreign interference, even without evidence of vote manipulation, undermines voter confidence. Michigan’s 2020 election underwent over 250 audits, and a Republican-led Senate report found no widespread fraud, yet the presence of Serbian contractors in Dominion’s operations remains a point of contention (Michigan Senate Oversight Committee, 2021). Transparency about foreign involvement could mitigate distrust, but Dominion’s limited disclosures and legal actions have instead amplified public concern.


Sovereignty and Accountability

U.S. elections embody national sovereignty, and any foreign involvement in their administration challenges this principle. Dominion’s Belgrade office, operational for over a decade, employs Serbian nationals to develop software used in American elections (CSO Online, 2025). While Dominion claims its software is developed in-house and rigorously tested, the lack of public detail about Serbian contractors’ roles or vetting processes raises accountability concerns (Dominion Voting Systems, 2024). The Election Assistance Commission (EAC), responsible for certifying voting systems, does not explicitly regulate vendor hiring practices, creating a gap in oversight (EAC, n.d.). This allows companies like Dominion to employ foreign contractors without sufficient public scrutiny.


The globalized nature of technology development is at odds with the unique demands of election security. Unlike other industries, election technology requires complete insulation from foreign influence to maintain democratic legitimacy. The 2020 election’s controversies, including unverified claims of fraud and documented rule changes, already strained public trust (Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, 2021). Allowing foreign contractors to participate in election technology development, even for cost-effective tasks, prioritizes efficiency over sovereignty—an unacceptable tradeoff for U.S. voters.


Conclusion

Dominion Voting Systems’ employment of Serbian contractors, while not proven to be illegal, poses significant risks to U.S. election integrity. The potential for vulnerabilities in software development, the erosion of public trust, and the violation of national sovereignty render this practice inherently problematic. Public documents released by Sheriff Dar Leaf, including emails and affidavits, confirm Serbian contractors’ access to Dominion systems, underscoring the need for reform (Detroit News, 2024; WOODTV, 2024). Policymakers must mandate that election technology vendors employ only U.S. citizens, subject to stringent vetting, and the EAC should establish clear guidelines prohibiting foreign involvement. Until these measures are implemented, Dominion’s use of Serbian contractors will remain a critical flaw in the U.S. electoral system, threatening the confidence and security that democracy demands.


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