Westchester Election Day: Scanners Reject Ballots, Emergency Procedures Take Over
County officials and the state Board of Elections dispute the cause of the glitch, but both confirm that paper ballots are secured for later counting.
By Lorenzo Marshall ·
Voting machines at polling sites across Westchester County, New York, rejected election ballots on Tuesday morning. The failure began at 6 a.m. when the scanners failed to read the submitted ballots. County Executive Ken Jenkins initially attributed the issue to a printer defect that rendered the ballots unreadable. The state Board of Elections (BOE) disputed this explanation, stating that a programming change applied to one municipality’s Election Day voting system caused the incompatibility.
The BOE explained that while one municipality updated its software, the rest of the county’s machines retained the original programming. Consequently, the scanners could not recognize the new ballot format. The board stated that the immediate goal is to restore scanning capability to at least one machine at every polling location. Additional units are being activated as the day progresses. The impacted scanners rejected the ballots rather than counting them incorrectly.
To maintain the vote count, polling places switched to emergency ballot procedures. Completed paper ballots are placed in orange bags and secured under bipartisan oversight. The BOE confirmed that these ballots will be scanned and counted according to established protocols. The board asserted that there has been no disruption to the actual act of voting. They noted that contingency procedures exist for such technical failures and are being executed effectively.
County Executive Ken Jenkins assured voters that their ballots will be counted. He instructed citizens to remain in line and proceed to their polling places without delay. Jenkins noted that each polling location has at least one scanner for voters with impairments, and these specific units are being reprogrammed to read the ballots. He stated that the polls would close at the scheduled time of 9 p.m. with no need for an extension. A bipartisan team is currently investigating the incident to determine the root cause.
The technical glitch has drawn attention in the highly contested race for New York’s 17th Congressional District. The district includes most of northern Westchester. Republican candidate Mike Lawler, who is seeking reelection, stated that every scanner in the county is down. He urged voters to stay in line and not leave without casting their ballots. Democratic challenger Cait Conley also posted on social media, encouraging residents to vote despite the technical difficulties. Both candidates emphasized that the board is working diligently to resolve the issue.
State officials have monitored the situation closely. New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that her office is observing the process. She confirmed that voters can safely fill out and submit their ballots at their local polling places. Governor Kathy Hochul and her Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman both addressed the issue to reassure the public. Hochul stated that every vote will be counted. Blakeman advised voters not to leave the polling place without casting their ballots.
Voters in Elmsford and Tarrytown described the process as manageable. Cathy Ronan, a local resident, said the experience felt typical and that backup systems have been known for years. Another voter noted that the instructions were clear, requiring only authentication and placement of the ballot in a sealed bag. The BOE maintains that every valid vote will be counted as the county works to restore full scanning functionality at all sites.
