'Software Malfunction' Prevents People From Casting Ballots in Pennsylvania County

A local official acknowledged voting machine issues in a Pennsylvania county as polls opened for the 2024 US presidential election on Tuesday, November 5.

In a statement to local media, Cambria County solicitor Ron Repak said the local Board of Elections “learned early this morning that a software malfunction in the county’s electronic voting system has prevented voters from scanning their ballots.”

“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,” the statement read.

“There is a process in place for issues of this nature. All completed ballots will be accepted, secured, and counted by the Board of Elections. The County Board of Elections has express voting machine at precinct locations to continue to allow voting electronically, while still allowing hand ballots to be cast.”

Repak ended his statement with this message: “In summary, all votes will be counted and we continue to encourage everyone to vote.”

Pennsylvania Senator Wayne Langerholc Jr said he had “been made aware of issues with voting machines in Cambria County and potentially other counties” on Tuesday morning.

Dave Luciew posted footage showing a discussion with election officials in Cambria County.

One of the officials is heard saying: “The flash drives in the machines are not synced up and so they are having to get new flash drives out to all machines. That’s what we were told.”

A woman then is heard asking: “Just Cambria County?” And the officials respond “Just Cambria County. That we know of, yeah.” Credit: Dave Luciew via Storyful

Video transcript

Flash drive or not drive, your machines are not short up.

And so they're having to get new flash drives out to all the machines is that just Cambria County County that we know of flash drives are not flash drives, make sure machines are not showed up.

And so they're having to get new flash drives out to all the machines is that just Cambria County County that we know of flash drive or not drive, your machines are not short up.

And so they're having to get new flash drives out to all the machines is that just Cambria County County that we know of flash drive or not drive, make sure machines are not shorted up.

And so they're having to get new flash drives out to all the machines is that just Cambria County County that we know of flash drives or flash drive, make sure machines are not short up.

And so they're having to get new flash drives out to all the machines is that just Cambria County County that we know of