Voting hours extended in Pennsylvania county hit by software glitch

A Philadelphia county board of elections staff member operates a ballot scanning machine as she processes ballots on Election Day at the ballot counting elections warehouse on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 5, 2024. Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania court approved a request on Tuesday to extend voting hours in a strongly pro-Trump county after voting machines in the key swing state experienced an Election Day software glitch.

The ruling means the polls will stay open for an additional two hours in a county that broke roughly 70 percent to 30 percent in favor of Trump in 2020, in a pivotal state that could decide the outcome of this year’s presidential race between Trump and his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris.

The case was brought by the local board of elections, who said a “software malfunction” at electronic voting machines had “prevented voters from scanning their completed ballots,” according to court documents filed Tuesday.

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In response, the Cambria County Court of Common Pleas ordered that voting hours be extended from 8pm to 10pm local time (0300 GMT).

“This morning’s ballot processing issues in Cambria have resulted in delays — this is unacceptable, plain and simple,” Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement after the case had been submitted.

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“Our legal team acted immediately to support extended hours to give voters the opportunity to vote — we need voters to STAY IN LINE!” he added.