Voting machines in Westchester County, New York, the state's seventh most populous county, are not accepting paper ballots at polling locations throughout the county, the Westchester County Board of Elections said in a statement Tuesday morning.
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Board → accept → statement
"The Westchester County Board of Elections (BOE) is aware of an issue involving the paper ballots that is preventing some voting machines from accepting ballots at polling locations throughout the County," the statement read.
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statement → involve → County
The board relayed that it is communicating with state and county officials and with poll workers to address the issue while repeatedly affirming to voters that all paper ballots will be counted.
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ballots → relay → voters
"Voters should continue to complete their paper ballots as instructed by poll workers.
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Voters → continue → workers
Ballots that cannot be processed by voting machines will be placed in designated orange emergency ballot bags, which will remain secure and monitored.
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which → process → bags
These ballots will subsequently be counted," the BOE said.
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BOE → count → ?
In a statement, Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said, "My office is fully aware of the ongoing problems with ballots and voting scanners across Westchester County, and I want to be absolutely clear: this situation is unacceptable.
"
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situation → say → County
Voters should remain in line and exercise their right to vote.
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Voters → remain → right
Every eligible voter will have the opportunity to cast their ballot, and every vote must be counted.
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vote → have → ballot
I have directed County officials, including representatives from our Law Department, to monitor the voting process and ensure that voters can cast their ballots without interference and that every vote is properly and accurately counted.
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vote → direct → interference
"Once these issues are resolved, I will convene a bipartisan team to conduct a thorough review of the decisions and failures that led to this debacle, determine where accountability lies and ensure that this never happens again.
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this → resolve → debacle
"Westchester County voters deserve a fair, secure and seamless election process.
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voters → deserve → process
Today, we have fallen short of that standard.
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we → fall → standard
The voters deserve better, and I intend to make sure they get it," Jenkins said.
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Jenkins → deserve → it
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., first alerted voters to an apparent ballot scanner problem in the county in a Tuesday morning post on X.
"There is a problem with every ballot scanner in Westchester County.
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Lawler → alert → County
We do not yet know the exact cause of the issue, whether it is the ballot or the machine.
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it → know → issue
The Board of Elections is working with their vendors to resolve it," Lawler wrote.
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Lawler → work → it
"However, every ballot will be counted.
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ballot → count → ?
Do not leave the polling place without voting," Lawler's post concluded.
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post → leave → place
Lawler also revealed while speaking to CNN reporters outside of a polling location in Pearl River, New York, that the issue appeared to be that the paper ballots were too thick to be read by the machines.
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ballots → reveal → machines
And so none of the machine were accepting the ballot across the entire county," Lawler told CNN.
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Lawler → accept → CNN
"As is often the case, when there's an emergency, they take the ballot, and they put it in an emergency voting bag.
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they → be → bag
Every ballot will be counted.
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ballot → count → ?
And everybody should be rest assured that their vote will count.
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vote → assure → ?
They should wait on line.
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They → wait → line
I know the lines may be impacted a little bit.
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lines → know → ?
Make sure you vote.
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you → make → ?
Your vote will be counted.
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vote → count → ?
The machines are being fixed," he said.
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he → fix → ?
The board echoed Lawler's insistence that all votes would be counted.
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votes → echo → insistence
"We strongly encourage all voters to remain in line, exercise patience and, most importantly, cast their ballots," the board added.
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board → encourage → ballots
The board also apologized to voters and to poll workers for the inconvenience.
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board → apologize → inconvenience
"Let us be absolutely clear: Every eligible vote will be counted.
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vote → let → ?
No voter should be discouraged from participating in this election because of this issue.
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voter → discourage → issue
Your voice matters.
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voice → matter → ?
Your vote matters.
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vote → matter → ?
Please stay in line and vote," the board's statement said.
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statement → stay → line
Voter Patrick Reagan, who has been voting in Westchester County for the last 40 years, spoke to Fox News outside a polling place in Yonkers.
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who → vote → Yonkers
"I hope all the votes are going to be corrected properly and accounted for.
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votes → hope → ?
And, you know, it's a big year for everybody just voting.
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it → know → everybody
…and 14 more, not listed.
The Aporia
