Westchester Elections: Programming Error Blamed for Machine Failures

Voting machines across Westchester County failed on Election Day due to a specific software error, state officials confirmed.

The New York State Board of Elections attributed the crash to a programming update that was installed after the initial preparation and testing of the equipment were completed.

County election officials had previously offered two different explanations for the technical problems. They first suggested that the paper ballots were too thick for the machines to accept. Later, they pointed to a printing error on the ballots themselves.

State election officials clarified that the root cause was a late change in the election programming. A specific contest in one municipality required updated code. That code was tested and deployed for early voting and for the machines in that specific town.

However, the voting machines in other parts of the county continued to run on the original programming. Because of that mismatch, those machines could not recognize or accept the ballots printed for Election Day.

The state board said it is working with the Westchester County Board of Elections to fix the issue. They are deploying replacement election media that uses the updated programming previously tested for early voting. This new media covers all contests throughout the county.

The immediate goal is to restore scanning capability to at least one machine at every polling location. Additional units are being brought online as the day progresses. While delays in tallying are expected, state officials stressed that established protocols will ensure every valid vote is counted.

Voting continued under emergency ballot procedures. Completed ballots are securely stored under bipartisan oversight. They will be scanned and counted according to standard rules once scanning capability is restored. The state board noted that these procedures are common in most election cycles, though usually on a smaller scale.

Officials stated that restoring scanning capability will allow emergency ballots cast earlier in the day to be processed. The established canvass, recanvass, and post-election audit procedures remain in place. The state board emphasized that accuracy will not be sacrificed for speed.

Every valid vote will be counted. The process follows the same strict standards used in previous cycles. The focus remains on securing the ballots and ensuring the final tally reflects the will of the voters.