Westchester Scanners Reject Ballots, Officials Use Emergency Bags

Ballot scanners across Westchester County, New York, rejected paper ballots on Election Day, prompting officials to direct voters to place them in secure orange emergency bags for later counting. The Westchester County Board of Elections said voters should continue filling out ballots as instructed by poll workers and remain in line. The board said the bags would be monitored and ballots counted under election procedures. Ballots accepted by scanners could be processed normally, while those placed in bags would require later handling, officials said. The scanner problem affected polling locations countywide. Reports said it began when polls opened at 6 a.m. on November 3. The county board initially referred to ballot thickness, then removed that explanation from a subsequent statement. Later reporting attributed the problem to a printer issue, citing County Executive Ken Jenkins, who said a printer error apparently caused it. The board’s revised statement did not identify a cause, and no technical findings were reported. The New York State Board of Elections said emergency procedures were in effect and completed ballots were under bipartisan control. A state board spokesperson...