Voting machine malfunctions trouble these two Republican Pennsylvania Counties

On Election Day, officials have confirmed widespread technical issues with voting machines and software in two predominantly Republican counties in one of the most crucial states, Pennsylvania.

The issues primarily affected the counties of Cambria and Bedford, both of which overwhelmingly supported former President Donald Trump in the previous election, with Trump winning 68% of the vote in Cambria County and 83% in Bedford County.

Early in the day, Cambria County voters faced challenges as they attempted to scan their ballots. “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,” Ron Repak, Cambria County’s Solicitor, stated.

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“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.” The New York Post later reported that this court order seeks to extend voting until 10 p.m., two hours past the state's regular 8 p.m. deadline.

Pennsylvania’s importance as a swing state cannot be understated

Both presidential candidates, Trump and VP Kamala Harris, have campaigned in Johnstown, Cambria County’s largest city, in the days leading up to the election.

The Pennsylvania Department of State has acknowledged the problems in Cambria County and is actively working with local officials to fix them. “Voters are continuing to vote by paper ballot, in accordance with normal operations, while the county resolves the issue with in-precinct scanning,” the department stated, reassuring the public of its commitment to a “free, fair, safe, and secure election.” Officials expect that ballots left in the secure lock boxes will be counted once the technical issues are resolved.

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Bedford County is also experiencing similar problems, with its Election Board reporting that they are working quickly to restore normal voting operations. Until the machines are back online, voters' paper ballots will be held in secure lockboxes for later processing.

Reports indicate that additional counties, including Blair, Somerset, and Clearfield, may also be dealing with similar voting machine issues.

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