Widespread Voting Issues Reported in Pennsylvania Swing Counties on Election Day

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — Election officials have confirmed significant problems with voting machines and software on Election Day in two key Republican counties in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state in the election.

Cambria County, PA, voters encountered issues with ballot machines this morning. X / @KimJFlanders

Issues arose early in Cambria and Bedford counties, where former President Donald Trump had previously garnered 68% and 83% of the vote.

Cambria County Solicitor Ron Repak stated that a software malfunction in the county’s Electronic Voting System prevented voters from scanning their ballots. He encouraged voters to continue voting at their precincts despite the difficulties and announced that the Board of Elections had filed a court order to extend voting hours.

Election officials have requested that the voting deadline be extended by two hours to 10 p.m. to ensure all ballots are counted. This extension would apply only to Cambria County, as the rest of the state is scheduled to close polls at 8 p.m.

Megyn Kelly joined Trump as he delivered his penultimate speech before the election on Monday night. REUTERS

Pennsylvania is regarded as one of the most critical swing states. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are campaigning in Johnstown, Cambria’s largest city. Nathan Anderson, an IT specialist from Johnstown, reported encountering problems at his polling site while voting for Trump.

With the polls nearly deadlocked, Harris and Trump hope for a win in Pennsylvania. Getty Images

He mentioned that a poll worker placed his ballot in a lockbox for later scanning, leaving him uncertain about whether his vote would ultimately be counted.

Anderson’s wife, Jessie, expressed relief at having voted early on October 29, anticipating potential Election Day complications. “I’ve never voted early or by mail. But Trump kept putting it out there: make it too big to rig,” she said, echoing the former president’s sentiments.

The Pennsylvania Department of State acknowledged the issues in Cambria County and is collaborating with local officials to resolve them. “Voters are continuing to vote by paper ballot, by normal operations, while the county resolves the issue with in-precinct scanning,” the department stated.

Meanwhile, Bedford County is also experiencing similar voting machine issues, with officials assuring that ballots will be kept secure until they can be properly counted. Reports have surfaced of additional problems in other counties, including Blair, Somerset, and Clearfield, although those claims remain unverified.

The complete statement from Cambria County Solicitor Ron Repak:

“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. This should not discourage voters from voting at their voting precincts. The Board has filed a Court Order extending the time to vote within Cambria County. No one should be turned away from the polls if they wish to cast their vote. Cambria County Board of Elections took measures to have IT specialists called to review the software issue. There is a process in place for issues of this nature. The Board of Elections will accept, secure, and count all completed ballots. The County Board of Elections has express voting machines at precinct locations to continue allowing voting electronically while allowing hand ballots to be cast. The County Board of Elections will continue to monitor this issue and take any necessary action to ensure that all voters can cast their ballots. We thank the community for their patience and support while rectifying this issue. All votes will be counted, and we continue encouraging everyone to vote.”