Staff Reports
In an unfortunate turn of events, several voting machines in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, experienced glitches that resulted in votes being recorded incorrectly. This mishap is impacting the highly anticipated race between Judge Jack Panella and Judge Victor Stabile for the Pennsylvania Superior Court. It appears that the malfunction occurs when a voter selects a “Yes” or “No” for one of the retention candidates on the Superior Court. However, instead of being recorded accurately, the selection is mistakenly attributed to the opposing candidate on both the paper ballot and the machine.
JUST IN: Voting Machines Down In Key State After Huge Malfunction: 'Votes Getting Flipped'https://t.co/svqguexSmx
— Sheri™ (@FFT1776) November 7, 2023
Naturally, this has left Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure absolutely livid. And who can blame him? This is a serious issue that undermines the integrity of the election process. McClure didn’t hold back in expressing his frustration towards the election officials and ES&S, the company responsible for the voting machines.
The county, to their credit, has acknowledged the problem and is actively working to rectify it as swiftly as possible. In a press release, they assured the public that they are fully aware of the issue and are taking steps to address it. However, it’s essential to note that this glitch only affects the retention races for the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Specifically, it impacts voters who selected a “Yes” for one candidate and a “No” for another.
The county’s Elections Division has taken immediate action by notifying all poll workers through text messages. They are instructing voters, before they enter the voting booth, about the recording issue concerning the retention candidates for the Pennsylvania Superior Court. In other words, voters should be aware that their selection might be flipped from one candidate to another on the paper receipt.
Lehigh Valley News was the first to report this unfortunate incident. They highlighted that voting machines went down in several locations, causing disruptions and an influx of paper ballots. Precincts such as Palmer Township, Bethany Wesleyan Church in Lehigh Township, College Hill Presbyterian Church in Easton, and Allen Township Fire Hall were particularly affected.
To mitigate the situation, poll workers promptly switched to provisional ballots after discovering errors with the voting machines. County officials also made sure to keep communication lines open, sending text messages to all polling locations to keep them apprised of any updates. However, the damage has been done, and frustration and concerns from voters and officials alike have understandably taken center stage.
One can’t help but feel deeply distressed by this unfortunate lapse. Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and any malfunction that compromises the voters’ trust is deeply troubling. It’s crucial for officials to resolve this issue swiftly and transparently to ensure the sanctity of the electoral process. We must uphold the integrity of our elections, and incidents like these demand our full attention and immediate action.
