Voting Machines Reject Paper Ballots Across Westchester County, Home To A Key House Battleground

Ballot scanners at polling places across Westchester County, New York, stopped accepting paper ballots on Election Day, raising the prospect of delayed results in one of the country’s most closely watched House races, between Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Democratic nominee Cait Conley. The county covers roughly 30% of New York’s 17th District.

The Westchester County Board of Elections said Tuesday it was aware of a problem preventing voting machines from accepting paper ballots at polling locations throughout the county, and that it was working with New York State officials and the county government “to ensure that voting continues with as little disruption as possible.” It first blamed the thickness of the paper ballots, then removed that explanation from its statement. No cause has been given since. Lawler has said officials are working with vendors to determine whether the ballots or the machines are at fault.

Voters whose ballots can’t be scanned are being told to stay in line and put them in orange emergency ballot bags, which the board says will be secured, monitored and counted under election procedures. “Every eligible vote will be counted,” the board said, adding that “No voter should be discouraged from participating in this election because of this issue.”

One voter described the scene on X:

I just went to vote in Westchester & machines are apparently broken county wide. They said choice is vote absentee or come back later. This is going to be crazy. Our country is in trouble.

— Ben Hort (@HortBen) November 3, 2026

New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office is monitoring the scanner problem and is in touch with the state and local boards of elections:

My office is monitoring this issue with scanners in Westchester and is in touch with the state and local Boards of Elections as they work on a solution. 

Westchester voters can still safely fill out and turn in their ballots at their polling locations. Your votes will count. https://t.co/Zm1AerRzsM

— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) November 3, 2026

Both candidates urged calm. Lawler told voters, “Do not leave the polling place without voting,” and said every ballot will be counted. Conley wrote that voters can “still vote and every vote is being counted!”

Republicans were quick to call it deliberate. Katie Miller, wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, wrote on X:

This is how the Left steals elections. 

Mike Lawler’s competitive district and they are turning away voters. https://t.co/DmnI8EZ1Pt

— Katie Miller (@KatieMiller) November 3, 2026

But, as always, there is no evidence (yet) of intent: the county has given no cause, and officials describe the problem as a ballot-scanning fault. The ballots in the emergency bags can’t be tallied until they are processed, which means results in the NY-17 race could be delayed.