The technology powering Election Day has had some expected hiccups, but as of early Tuesday afternoon, nonpartisan groups say the voting system is largely holding up. Where it has failed, they emphasize, there are strong backup plans that will ensure voters can still cast their ballots. and that your votes will be counted.
Members of the nonpartisan Election Protection coalition, which run a direct line For voters seeking information or help at the polls, they said they're seeing reports of pretty standard technology issues so far. That includes spotty Wi-Fi connections that affect electronic poll books used to screen voters more efficiently, inaccurate calibration on voting machine touch screens and non-functioning ballot scanners. These problems do not appear to be widespread or severe enough to have a major impact on voting access, although in some cases they may cause longer waits.
“Democracy works when it is allowed to”
Damon Hewitt, president and CEO of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, told reporters during a virtual briefing Tuesday afternoon that while “there have been some isolated incidents… for the most part, people are coming to the polls.” places today, they are communicating with poll workers and can cast their votes.” Hewitt said that's particularly “notable” in light of the rampant spread of election misinformation and disinformation and the litigation surrounding efforts to restrict access to certain voters. “Democracy works when it is allowed to, and sometimes we need to give it a nudge to make sure there are no obstacles in the way,” Hewitt says.
Voters in Jefferson County, Kentucky, experienced delays caused by the tool used to register voters at polling places, called “E-Poll Books,” which local officials said was the result of a software update. But the issue seems to be on the way to a solution, x.com/WHAS11Doug/status/1853807662774784427″>according to local reports. Officials are encouraging voters to vote again before polls close at 6 p.m. in the state.
“Like any type of technology, equipment can sometimes fail, but what is important is the resilience processes implemented so that voters continue voting in real time”
Hewitt also says the hotline has received reports of problems with the Florida Secretary of State's polling place finder tool. The Florida Department of State says its website has seen “record traffic” and that voters who have problems with the search tool can go to their county election officials' pages to get the same service. Hewitt says the hotline can help voters find other tools that also allow them to search for their polling place.
“Like any type of technology, equipment can sometimes fail, but what's important is the resiliency processes put in place to keep voters voting in real time,” says Pamela Smith, president and CEO of the nonprofit Verified. Voting. Smith says there have been some reports of polling places where voting machines were not working and voters were told to come back later. She says voters should not need to make a second trip to the polls in this type of situation: They have the right to request an emergency paper ballot (other than a provisional ballot) to complete and cast their vote.
Even when a machine is involved, the vast majority of votes cast in this election will be on paper ballots.
He also says they are hearing reports about scanners counting ballots. having problems in several states. The solution for that type of scenario is for election workers to store voted ballots in a separate container to ensure they are scanned and counted later.
Some voters have also pointed out problems with ballot marking machines that appear to select a different candidate than they intended, Smith says. This type of problem is common fodder for conspiracy theories and fuels distrust in the process. But Smith says there are fairly mundane explanations: It can happen when the machine is not properly calibrated or when a voter presses the screen in an ambiguous place or accidentally touches it somewhere they didn't intend to. She advises voters to press the name of the candidate they want, rather than the small checkbox, and to make sure their clothing doesn't touch the screen. (Should there be a little checkbox if it's not the best place to tap? That's a question for the voting machine companies.)
Voters should always check the paper copy of their selections before casting their vote, and can have the polling place discard their ballot and try again if there is an error. “Calibrating equipment for touch screens is common. It’s nothing to worry about,” says Smith.
Even when a machine is involved, The vast majority of votes cast in this election will be on ballots.. That means that even if you select your preferred candidates on a screen, a sheet of paper with your choices will likely print out and safely stored for at least 22 months in case any problem arises that needs to be rechecked.
“This election is really shaping up to be the most resilient yet,” Smith says.
