Widespread voting problems have been reported in two heavily Republican counties in Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (AP) — Widespread problems with voting machines on Election Day in two heavily Republican Pennsylvania counties are causing confusion and long lines — and threatening to disenfranchise voters in the critical swing state, election officials said Tuesday.

Officials said voters were having trouble scanning ballots in deep-red Cambria and Bedford counties, which former President Donald Trump won four years ago with 68% and 83% of the vote, respectively. Authorities wanted to reassure voters that their ballots would be counted despite the disruption.

“The Cambria County Board of Elections learned earlier today that a software glitch in the county’s electronic voting system prevented voters from scanning their ballots,” Cambria County Attorney Ron Repak said in a statement.

“This should not stop voters from voting in their precincts. The Board has filed a court order extending the voting deadline in Cambria County.”

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Nathan Anderson, an IT specialist from Johnstown, Cambria's largest city, said he encountered problems at his polling location while casting his vote for Trump this morning.

He said a poll worker put his ballot in a locker until it could be scanned, but Anderson admitted he had reservations about that.

“I was able to cast my ballot whether it was scanned or not, honestly I’ll never know,” he said.

Anderson added that others also left their ballots with poll workers to be scanned later rather than returning once the machines were repaired.

According to the motion filed in district court, election officials filed urgent paperwork to extend the voting time by two hours to 10 p.m. to fix the problem and ensure all ballots were counted.

In the filing, Repak said, “The malfunction caused confusion among voters, long lines of voters, and many people left the polling stations without casting their vote.”

He also added that the disruption “threatens to disenfranchise a significant number of voters in Cambria County.”

A judge quickly approved the order, but noted that any vote cast after the standard 8 p.m. deadline would be provisional.

Pennsylvania has the most electoral votes of any swing state in the 2024 election. Given that Trump, 78, lost the Keystone State by just over a percentage point in 2020 and polls have labeled the state a statistical aberration, the losses have raised serious concerns among Republicans.

Cambria County, located about 65 miles east of Pittsburgh, has a population of 131,000; Neighboring Bedford has a population of about 47,000.

Both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have previously campaigned in Johnstown.

The machine and software problems in Cambria and Bedford counties come as the county is nervous about the election. Four years ago, Trump spread unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud. Ahead of this election cycle, he has warned of possible malevolence.

Trump's allies have been carefully watching for irregularities and preparing to potentially file a series of lawsuits. The problems in Cambria and Bedford could be grounds for possible lawsuits.

“This will be the most important day in American history. Voter enthusiasm is through the roof because people want to make America great again. This means the lines will be long! I want you to cast your vote, no matter how long it takes. Stay in line! “The radical communist Democrats want you to pack up and go home,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.

Repak suggested the county's response to the software and machine glitch shows how the system works to protect voters from mishaps.

“The Cambria County Board of Elections has taken action to bring in IT specialists to review the software issue. There is a process for issues like this. All completed ballot papers will be accepted, secured and counted by the electoral board,” he emphasized.

“The county board of elections has express voting machines at county locations to continue to enable electronic voting while also allowing for hand votes,” Repak continued. “The County Board of Elections will continue to monitor this matter and take all necessary actions to ensure all voters have the opportunity to cast their ballot.”

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Local voter Jessie Anderson said she was shocked by the voting issue but relieved she decided to cast her vote early on Oct. 29, anticipating potential problems on Election Day.

“I never voted for Early; agreed by letter. But Trump has made it public again and again. Make it too big to manipulate,” she echoed the former president.

The Pennsylvania Department of State said it has been made aware of the issues in Cambria County and is working with local authorities to address them.

“Voters continue to vote with ballots as part of normal operations while the county resolves the issue through on-site scanning,” the department said in a statement.

“We are working with the county to resolve this technical matter and remain committed to ensuring a free, fair, safe and secure election.”

In the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate of multi-candidate polls, Trump has a 0.6 percentage point lead over Harris. The 45th president flipped the state in 2016 but lost it in 2020.