Westchester County, New York, experienced major turmoil during Election Day on Tuesday. The county faced chaos when ballot scanners began rejecting paper ballots, compelling election officials to use emergency bags to collect votes while technicians raced to resolve the situation.
This malfunction significantly impacted one of the state’s most pivotal regions, where communities were participating in a closely monitored congressional contest between Republican Rep. Mike Lawler and Democratic challenger Cait Conley.
The Westchester County Board of Elections confirmed the widespread issues early Tuesday morning, noting that voting machines across multiple polling sites were failing to process the ballots.
Officials from the Board of Elections stated, “The Westchester County Board of Elections (BOE) is aware of an issue involving the paper ballots that is preventing some voting machines from accepting ballots at polling locations throughout the County.”
Concerns arose quickly regarding ballot management, with voters being directed to deposit their completed paper ballots into special orange emergency bags instead of using the scanners.
“Voters should continue to complete their paper ballots as instructed by poll workers. Ballots that cannot be processed by voting machines will be placed in designated orange emergency ballot bags, which will remain secure and monitored. These ballots will subsequently be counted,” the board assured.
Rep. Mike Lawler was among the first officials to raise alarms about the issue.
He posted on X, “There is a problem with every ballot scanner in Westchester County. We do not yet know the exact cause of the issue, whether it is the ballot or the machine. The Board of Elections is working with their vendors to resolve it.”
Gov. Hochul Addresses Voting Machine Problems in Westchester https://t.co/E8TerTwO3R
— New York Post (@nypost) November 3, 2026
Lawler urged residents to remain at their polling locations despite the problems.
“However, every ballot will be counted. Stay on line and vote. Do not leave the polling place without voting,” he stressed.
Speaking to the media outside a polling site, Lawler speculated that the thickness of the ballot paper and machine settings could be contributing factors.
“There was an issue with the thickness of the ballot and the formatting of the machines. And so none of the machines were accepting the ballot across the entire county,” he explained.
Initially, officials linked the mechanical failure to ballot thickness, but clarifications were made as the investigation continued.
Lawler reassured voters about emergency measures that allowed them to still cast their votes.
“As is often the case, when there’s an emergency, they take the ballot, and they put it in an emergency voting bag. Every ballot will be counted. And everybody should be rest assured that their vote will count,” he explained.
County Executive Ken Jenkins condemned the equipment failure, labeling it “unacceptable.”
Jenkins indicated that county officials were on-site monitoring the situation to ensure proper handling of the ballots.
He also promised that a bipartisan investigation into the breakdown would be initiated as soon as immediate issues were resolved.
“Westchester County voters deserve a fair, secure and seamless election process. Today, we have fallen short of that standard. The voters deserve better, and I intend to make sure they get it,” Jenkins asserted.
Despite official reassurances, some voters expressed skepticism about the handling of their votes.
Linda Giaimo, accompanying a friend to the polls, voiced her frustration. “It’s all through Westchester County, that all these machines are down. So now we’ve got to put our vote in a bag and believe that that bag is going to be delivered. I got a problem with this,” she stated.
Another voter, Patrick Reagan, expressed hope that all ballots would be accurately counted. “I hope all the votes are going to be corrected properly and accounted for. You know, it’s a big year for everybody just voting,” he shared.
New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed that her office was closely monitoring the situation and in communication with election officials.
“My office is monitoring this issue with scanners in Westchester and is in touch with the state and local Boards of Elections as they work on a solution,” James stated.
The complications could further hinder ballot processing in New York’s 17th Congressional District, a key battleground where Lawler is defending his seat.
Currently, election officials have found no evidence of deliberate interference or ballot tampering, with the main focus on addressing the mechanical failure and proper ballot counting.
The Westchester County Board of Elections issued an apology for the disruption, urging residents to stay at their polling places.
“Let us be absolutely clear: Every eligible vote will be counted. No voter should be discouraged from participating in this election because of this issue. Your voice matters. Your vote matters. Please stay in line and vote,” officials emphasized.
Polls in New York are set to close at 9 p.m. Tuesday as election workers continue addressing the scanner problems while voting remains underway.
Officials maintain that ballots placed in the secured emergency bags will be counted, though the extensive malfunctions may delay reporting results in a crucial congressional district.
POLL: Will You Support Trump And His Candidates In The Midterms?
