Ballot scanners rejected some ballots due to paper thickness; election officials said all affected votes would still count.

ELECTION DAY  ·  DOMESTIC  ·  ARC: NOV 3 A01 ELECTION DAY COVERAGE

Ballot scanners at several polling locations in Westchester County, New York, experienced technical difficulties on Election Day, with machines rejecting ballots due to paper thickness inconsistencies, local officials and multiple news outlets confirmed. Election workers were instructed to set aside affected ballots in secure envelopes to be counted separately using standard provisional and emergency procedures.

Westchester County Board of Elections officials moved quickly to reassure voters, stating that no ballots would be lost and that all votes would be counted in full compliance with New York State election law. Poll workers guided confused voters through alternative submission procedures, and additional county staff were dispatched to affected precincts.

Scope and Scale

Reports of scanner rejections emerged from multiple precincts across the county during the morning voting hours. NBC New York and ABC7 reported that the issues appeared to be isolated to specific scanner models and were not uniform across the county. Officials emphasized that the problem was mechanical — related to paper stock variation in printed ballots — rather than software- or security-related.

Election security observers on the ground described the response as orderly. Voters were permitted to resubmit ballots or deposit them in secure emergency ballot boxes, with poll workers logging each incident. State election authorities said they were monitoring the situation and prepared to provide additional equipment if needed.

“Every ballot will be counted. New Yorkers should vote with confidence that their choices will be recorded.” — Westchester County election official

Broader Election Day Context

Westchester County is among the most closely watched suburban counties in New York State, with several competitive congressional and state assembly races on the ballot. The scanner issues drew immediate attention from both party observers and national media given the heightened sensitivity around voting equipment on a consequential midterm Election Day. This story continues the election operations arc from Section A article a01, which documented the national picture of midterm voting underway.

Officials urged voters not to leave polling places due to the scanner problems, noting that every location had procedures in place to ensure ballot security and full tabulation. The county anticipated a resolution of affected scanner issues within hours.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

► Affected ballots to be counted under emergency ballot procedures after polls close

► Westchester County Board of Elections to release full incident report post-election

► State Board of Elections monitoring for further equipment reports statewide

► Bipartisan observers logging all scanner rejection incidents for potential post-election review

CONFIDENCE: HIGH

NBC New York and ABC7 both reported independently on Westchester scanner issues with official confirmation from the county election board. Procedures described are standard New York State emergency ballot protocol.

Bias Check
Left-Lean	Center	Right-Lean
Emphasis on voter suppression angle; focus on structural failure narrative.	Scanner malfunction reported factually with official reassurance; voters advised of remedies.	Caution about overreporting minor technical issues as systemic failures on Election Day.
Assessment

SOURCES

► NBC New York — Westchester County voting machine issues, Election Day 2026 coverage

► ABC7 New York — Ballot scanner rejections Westchester County reporting