Westchester ballot scanners reject paper ballots countywide

Ballot scanners across Westchester County, New York, were rejecting paper ballots on Election Day, prompting election officials to direct voters to keep voting and place ballots in secure emergency bags for later counting. The Westchester County Board of Elections said the machines were not accepting paper ballots at polling locations throughout the county. Voters were instructed to complete their ballots as usual and place them in designated orange emergency ballot bags, which the board said would remain secure and monitored. The ballots are to be counted under applicable election procedures. The board initially attributed the problem to the thickness of the paper ballots, then issued a correction removing that explanation. Its updated statement described an issue involving paper ballots but did not establish the technical cause. Officials had not said when scanners would resume working, and reports said the problem remained unresolved as of about 9:30 a.m. Eastern time. The New York State Board of Elections said the emergency procedures had not disrupted voting and that ballots were secured under bipartisan control and would be counted. New York Attorney General Letitia...