ICYMI: Election 2018: Voting underway, some report glitches

Several news media outlets across Pennsylvania are reporting on significant voting irregularities, particularly focused on “vote switches” or voters intending to vote a straight party ticket, but having the voting machine change their vote from Republican to Democrat.

Some of these voters had their vote cast for Democrats, instead of Republicans as they intended. In addition, we are learning anecdotally that some voters have become so frustrated at the process that they are not casting ballots at all.

According to the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader issues had been reported by Republican and Democrat voters. (Election 2018: Voting underway, some report glitches, Roger DuPuis & Jennifer Learn-Andes, November 6, 2018)

In Allegheny County, things were not much better.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

The county said it has received other reports of “vote switching,” the term for when a voter selects one candidate and another is chosen instead.

Officials said vote switching has been reported in West Deer (7th District), Plum (20th District) and Moon (6th District). In each case, “we have sent a technician out to try to replicate the issue and, if appropriate, will recalibrate the machine(s). We have no confirmation of those issues at this time.”

(LIVE Election Day updates: ACLU concerned by county’s handling of absentee ballots, Staff Reports, November 6, 2018)

Problems have also been reported to a significant degree in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

As noted by The Philadelphia Inquirer: “The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office said it received 27 calls to its election fraud task force by early afternoon.” (Midterm election 2018: Some machine malfunctions, delays reported after strong early turnout in Pa., N.J., Joseph Gambardell & Patricia Madej, November 6, 2018).

Billy Penn has reported that there are “problems all over” the city of Philadelphia with reports of broken voting machines at 18 districts, seven polling locations opening late, and other irregularities throughout Philadelphia. (Broken polling machines reported at 18 Philly districts, Michaela Winberg, November 6, 2018)

While voting irregularities and machine malfunctions are being dealt with, voters experiencing problems are encouraged to call the PA GOP Voter Legal Hotline at (833) 467-2467 or email at [email protected].

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