Westchester ballot scanners reject ballots on Election Day

Ballot scanners at polling places across Westchester County, New York, were not accepting paper ballots on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, according to reports from NBC New York, CBS New York and FOX 5 New York. County and election officials said voters should keep completing their ballots, which are being secured so they can be counted. NBC New York reported that polls remain scheduled to close at 9 p.m.

The situation is developing, and details may change. This report reflects what had been published and verified as of late Tuesday morning. Each claim below is attributed to the outlet or official who made it.

What happened this morning

Polls in New York opened at 6 a.m., and problems began shortly afterward, according to FOX 5 New York. CBS New York reported that machines at most polling sites were not accepting ballots, with problems starting when polls opened.

NBC New York reported that voters described problems at polling places in New Rochelle, North Salem and Ossining. At St. Paul's Church in Ossining, voters told the station that the machines rejected all ballots and that the ballots were put in a bag to be counted later. ABC7 New York reported that the Town of North Salem alerted residents that scanners were not accepting ballots and advised voters to keep casting them.

Less than 90 minutes after polls opened, Rep. Mike Lawler, the Republican incumbent in New York's 17th District, wrote on X that there were issues with "every ballot scanner in Westchester County," according to FOX 5 New York. Around 10 a.m., Jenkins released a video statement, NBC New York reported, in which he said: "There is a county-wide issue at all of the polling locations where the ballot is not going through the scanner."

In a report last updated at 8:42 a.m. ET, CBS New York said Jenkins had not said exactly what was wrong and that there was no word on when the problem would be fixed.

What officials are saying

Jenkins said completed ballots are being placed in secure orange bags or in on-site ballot boxes, the boxes where voters can drop off mail-in ballots, according to NBC New York. He said there is "not a need at this time" to extend polling hours. "No one should be panicked," he said.

In a separate written statement published by the Yonkers Times, Jenkins called the situation "unacceptable." He said he had directed county officials, including representatives of the county's Law Department, to monitor the voting process, and that once the issues are resolved he would convene a bipartisan team to review "the decisions and failures that led to this debacle" and determine where accountability lies. "Today, we have fallen short of that standard," he said, referring to a fair, secure and seamless election process.

NBC New York also reported that Jenkins said ballot printing differs between early voting and Election Day. During early voting, he said, ballots were printed on site. The reporting does not say whether that difference is connected to the scanner problem.

The Westchester County Board of Elections issued a statement that first blamed the problem on "the thickness of paper ballots," according to NBC New York. Less than an hour later, the board issued a correction removing the word "thickness." Some early coverage, including ABC7 New York's report, still cited paper thickness.

In its updated statement, the board said it is aware of "an issue involving paper ballots that is preventing voting machines from accepting ballots at polling locations throughout the County." It said it is in constant communication with New York State officials, county government and poll workers. The board said voters should keep completing paper ballots as poll workers instruct. Those ballots go into designated orange emergency ballot bags that "will remain secure and monitored" and "will subsequently be counted in accordance with applicable election procedures." The board urged voters to remain in line and cast ballots, and it apologized for the inconvenience. "Every eligible vote will be counted," the statement said. "Please stay in line and vote."

The New York State Board of Elections said there is no disruption to voting, according to CBS New York. It said: "Long-established emergency ballot procedures have been implemented, where completed ballots are secured, under bipartisan control, and will be counted. While technical issues can be frustrating, contingency procedures exist for precisely these circumstances." Gothamist, paraphrasing the board, reported that ballots will be counted but that delays may occur.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, speaking in Queens, said the problem could take many hours to fix, according to NBC New York. She said it appeared to stem from the "wrong size paper." She also said: "Every single vote will be counted... whether it's counted in a different way or we figure out how to get the ballots to a different machine."

ABC7 New York reported that Hochul and her Republican opponent in the governor's race, Bruce Blakeman, both urged Westchester voters to stay at their polling places. Hochul told reporters, "I'm hearing it could be the wrong size paper that they have in Westchester County," and added that determining the exact cause is up to the county Board of Elections, the station reported. Blakeman wrote on social media: "WESTCHESTER! DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT VOTING! Ballot scanner issues are being reported at polling sites. Stay in line! Ask election workers how to cast your ballot."

New York Attorney General Letitia James wrote on X that her office is monitoring the scanner issue and is in touch with the state and local boards of elections. She wrote: "Westchester voters can still safely fill out and turn in their ballots at their polling locations. Your votes will count."

What the candidates are saying

The race for New York's 17th Congressional District, between Lawler and Democratic challenger Cait Conley, is hotly contested, according to CBS New York. The district includes most of northern Westchester and a sliver of southern Westchester. Both candidates addressed the problem publicly Tuesday morning.

Lawler wrote on X: "We do not yet know the exact cause of the issue, whether it is the ballot or the machine. The Board of Elections is working with their vendors to resolve it. However, every ballot will be counted. Stay on line and vote. Do not leave the polling place without voting," according to FOX 5 New York.

Conley posted: "Don't be dissuaded and have your voice heard. The issue is being worked on diligently by the Board of Elections in a bipartisan manner," according to CBS New York. In a separate post reported by Gothamist, she wrote: "The Polls are open and operational, and every vote cast will be counted. Please stay in line and have your voice heard as they work to resolve the issue."

Why Westchester matters

According to Gothamist, Westchester is central to the Lawler-Conley race and could be a critical swing county in other races, including the governor's race. Gothamist did not say how the scanner problem might affect any contest, and this report does not either.

For readers who want broader context, NewsCubby has published a briefing on control of Congress, the Senate and the House. It has also published a briefing on the New York governor's race.

The emergency ballot bags are the contingency the officials describe. According to the county board, they are designated orange bags that hold ballots voters have completed when machines will not accept them. The board said the bags will remain secure and monitored, and that their contents will be counted under applicable election procedures. The state board described the same approach as ballots that are "secured, under bipartisan control."

What is confirmed

• Voters reported scanner problems at polling places in New Rochelle, North Salem and Ossining, according to NBC New York.
• Jenkins said in a video statement around 10 a.m. that there is a county-wide issue at all polling locations where the ballot is not going through the scanner, according to NBC New York.
• The Westchester County Board of Elections said it is aware of an issue involving paper ballots that is preventing voting machines from accepting ballots throughout the county, and it removed the word "thickness" from an earlier statement.
• Completed ballots are being placed in secure orange bags or on-site ballot boxes, according to NBC New York, and the county board said ballots in orange emergency bags will be counted.
• The New York State Board of Elections said emergency ballot procedures have been implemented and that completed ballots are secured under bipartisan control and will be counted, according to CBS New York.
• Polls are scheduled to close at 9 p.m., and Jenkins said extending polling hours is "not a need at this time," according to NBC New York.
• Hochul, Lawler, Conley, Attorney General James and the county board each said publicly that votes will be counted.

What is not yet confirmed

• The cause. Hochul said the problem appeared to stem from the "wrong size paper." The county board corrected an earlier statement that cited paper thickness. Lawler wrote that the exact cause, whether the ballot or the machine, was not yet known, per FOX 5 New York.
• When, or whether, the scanners will be fixed Tuesday. Hochul said it could take many hours, and CBS New York reported there was no word on timing.
• How and when the bagged ballots will be scanned and counted. The board said they will be counted "in accordance with applicable election procedures," without giving a timeline in the statement summarized here.
• Whether results will be delayed, and by how much. Gothamist, paraphrasing the board, reported that delays may occur and gave no specifics.
• The exact number of affected sites. Jenkins said the issue affects all polling locations, while CBS New York reported that machines at most sites were not accepting ballots.
• Whether polling hours will be extended. Jenkins said an extension is not needed "at this time."

What voters should know

The guidance below comes from the officials cited above.

• Stay in line. The county board urged voters to remain in line and cast ballots, and both Lawler and Conley wrote similar messages.
• Fill out your paper ballot as poll workers instruct. The county board said voters should keep completing paper ballots.
• A ballot placed in an orange emergency bag is still counted, according to officials. The county board said those bags will remain secure and monitored.
• Polls close at 9 p.m. Jenkins said there is no need to extend hours "at this time."
• To ask questions, call the Westchester County Board of Elections at (914) 995-5700. Its office is at 445 Hamilton Avenue, 8th Floor, in White Plains.
• To report a problem, call the New York Attorney General's Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-390-2992. It is staffed from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day, according to the hotline page, and an online complaint form is available at any time.

NewsCubby's guide to poll closing times and when results come in and its live guide to Election Day provide further background. As of late Tuesday morning the situation remains developing, and officials' statements may change.

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*ARCHIVE PHOTO: A sheet of "I Voted" stickers, photographed in 2006. Not taken in Westchester County. Photo: Joe Hall / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0.*

*NewsCubby articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed by humans.*