November 5, 2024
A Pennsylvania judge extended voting hours in Cambria County until 10 p.m. ET on Election Day following a technical glitch that prevented ballots from being scanned at polling stations. The issue, reportedly caused by a software malfunction in the county’s electronic voting system, was first detected early Tuesday morning, according to County Solicitor Ron Repak.
Repak assured voters that this setback would not impact their ability to cast ballots. “This should not discourage voters from voting at their precincts,” he said in a statement, emphasizing that all submitted ballots would be “accepted, secured, and counted by the Board of Elections.”
To accommodate voters, Cambria County election officials deployed express voting machines at precinct locations to allow voting electronically. Additionally, hand ballots remained an option for those who preferred it or if technical issues persisted. Repak reiterated, “All votes will be counted, and we continue to encourage everyone to vote.”
The Pennsylvania Department of State quickly responded to the situation, coordinating with local officials to support ongoing voting efforts and troubleshoot the malfunction. “The Department of State is in contact with county officials in Cambria County,” the department stated. “Voters are continuing to vote by paper ballot, in accordance with normal operations, while the county resolves the issue with in-precinct scanning.”
Cambria County’s swift response, with a combination of backup machines and extended voting hours, has aimed to ensure that voters are not disenfranchised due to the technical issue. The Department of State reiterated its commitment to maintaining “a free, fair, safe, and secure election.”
This incident adds to a list of isolated election day technical issues reported across the country, though officials remain confident in measures to ensure a fair voting process.
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