Several ballot scanners at polling locations in Pennsylvania’s Cambria and Bedford Counties are currently inoperative, affecting voters on Election Day. The Pennsylvania Department of State confirmed it is working with Cambria County officials to address the technical issues.
“Voters are continuing to vote by paper ballot, in accordance with normal operations, while the county resolves the issue with in-precinct scanning,” the department stated on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We are working with the county to resolve this technical matter and remain committed to ensuring a free, fair, safe, and secure election.”
Cambria County Attorney Ron Repak attributed the problem to a software malfunction and has requested a court order to extend voting hours. “The Cambria County Board of Election learned early this morning that a software malfunction in the county’s Electronic Voting System has prevented voters from scanning their ballots,” he said in a statement to WJAC. “This should not discourage voters from voting at their precincts.”
Repak assured voters that the Board of Elections is addressing the issue, with IT specialists reviewing the malfunction. He emphasized that all completed ballots will be “accepted, secured, and counted” by the Board of Elections. Additionally, Cambria County has set up express voting machines at polling sites to allow electronic voting while continuing to accept hand ballots. “We thank the community for their patience and support while this issue is rectified,” Repak said. “In summary, all votes will be counted, and we continue to encourage everyone to vote.”
In neighboring Bedford County, similar issues with ballot scanners have been reported. Election officials are working to repair the machines, with cast ballots securely stored in lock boxes until they can be tabulated.
