Voting Machines Reject Ballots in New York, Raising Fears of Delayed Results

Voting machines across Westchester County in the US state of New York rejected paper ballots on Election Day, raising concerns about potential delays in one of the most competitive House races in the country.

According to Axios, results could be delayed in one of the nation's top House races between Representative Mike Lawler (from upstate New York) and Democratic candidate Kate Conley, as officials address an issue related to ballot papers.

The Westchester County Board of Elections said Tuesday that it is aware of a problem preventing voting machines from accepting ballot papers at polling places throughout the county.

The election commission announced that it is speaking with New York State officials and the Westchester County government "to address this issue and ensure the voting process continues with minimal disruption."

The cause remains unclear. According to reports, election officials initially blamed the thickness of the ballot papers but later retracted this explanation in their statement.

New York Attorney General Letitia James wrote on X that her office is monitoring the situation.

Candidate Lawler said officials are working with vendors to resolve the issue, while Conley reassured voters that their votes would be counted.

The Westchester County government wrote on its website: "Let us be perfectly clear: every eligible vote will be counted."

Voters in the county told Fox 5 New York that they were forced to fill out paper ballot forms instead of using the machines. Voters said their ballot forms were placed in a secure box.

Other voters expressed frustration over the ballot issue on social media.

Katie Miller, wife of Trump advisor Stephen Miller, claimed on X: "This is how the Left steals elections. It is Mike Lawler's competitive district and they are preventing voters from casting their votes."

The county covers approximately 30% of New York's 17th District, represented by Lawler. This contest has emerged as a key battleground in Democrats' efforts to take control of the House.

The ballot scanning issues come as technological vulnerabilities have been a major concern heading into the midterms, with researchers saying some weaknesses remain evident.

CNN reported that officials in Broward County, Florida, reported a computer system glitch that disrupted voting at polling places early Tuesday morning.

According to reports, the malfunction caused systems designed to prevent voters from receiving incorrect ballots to reject all ballots. Officials confirmed that the issue was resolved.

Voters at affected polling places were urged to stay in line and cast their votes.