Election ballot scanners down at most Westchester County, New York polling sites, officials say

Voting machines at most polling sites in Westchester County, New York, were not accepting election ballots Tuesday morning due to an undefined issue, according to the county executive.

The scanners started experiencing problems when the polls opened at 6 a.m. 

Voters are being instructed to stay in line and fill out a paper ballot, which will be placed in orange emergency ballot bags to be counted later. 

The New York State Board of Elections said there is no disruption to voting.  

"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," part of a statement read.

County Executive Ken Jenkins did not say exactly what was wrong, and there is no word as to when the problem will be fixed.

Republican Mike Lawler, who is running for reelection in the lower Hudson Valley, said every scanner in the county is down.

"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," he wrote on social media. 

Democratic challenger Cait Conley also posted about the issue, urging residents to still vote.

"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," she wrote in part. 

The race between Lawler and Conley for New York's 17th Congressional District is hotly contested. It includes most of northern Westchester and a sliver of southern Westchester.   

New York Attorney General Letitia James also said her office is monitoring the issue.

"Westchester voters can still safely fill out and turn in their ballots at their polling locations. Your votes will count," she wrote.