In Pennsylvania’s Cambria County, a judge extended voting hours to 10 p.m. ET due to a malfunction in the electronic voting system that prevented ballot scanning.
County Solicitor Ron Repak assured voters that this technical issue should not deter them from voting, emphasizing that all completed ballots will be secured and counted, Fox News reported.
“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,” Repak said in a statement. “This should not discourage voters from voting at their precincts.”
The Board of Elections provided express voting machines to allow continued electronic voting, as well as the option to cast hand ballots.
The court order, signed by President Judge Linda Rovder Fleming, states that any ballots cast after the normal closing time of 8 p.m. must be cast by provisional ballot, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
Cambria County, located in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, voted overwhelmingly for the GOP presidential candidate in the past three elections.
The Pennsylvania Department of State worked with local officials to address the problem, confirming that voting continued via paper ballots and emphasizing their commitment to a secure election. The extended hours were intended to ensure no voters were turned away due to the malfunction.
All eyes have been on Pennsylvania in this election, as many pundits believe the Keystone State may ultimately decide the White House race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Recent polling has shown an incredibly close contest in the state.