The voting technology is not perfect, but so far it has worked well.
It's a significant day for the Department of Technology and Democracy.
The election day has encountered some expected technical difficulties, but according to reports from nonpartisan groups, the voting system is functioning mostly well by Tuesday afternoon. When issues have arisen, they have noted that there are robust backup plans in place to ensure that voters can cast their ballots and that their votes will be counted.
Members of the Election Protection coalition, which provides voter assistance through a hotline, have indicated that they have so far logged typical technical problems. Among these are unstable Wi-Fi connections that affect the electronic voter registration books used for more efficient voter verification, inaccurate calibrations on the touchscreens of voting machines, and ballot scanners that are inoperable. However, these problems do not seem to be serious or widespread enough to significantly affect access to voting, although they could cause longer wait times in some locations.
Damon Hewitt, president and CEO of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, mentioned during a video conference that, despite some isolated incidents, generally, voters are reaching polling places, registering with poll workers, and successfully casting their votes. Additionally, Hewitt highlighted the importance of these processes amid the misinformation surrounding the elections.
In Jefferson County, Kentucky, delays were reported due to issues with the E-Poll Books caused by a software update, but this matter is expected to be resolved soon. Authorities are urging voters to return before the polls close at 6 PM.
Hewitt also reported receiving complaints about the Florida Secretary of State's polling place locator tool, which has been experiencing unusually high traffic. He advised voters that if they have difficulty with this tool, they should consult their local election officials' pages for the same information.
Pamela Smith, president and CEO of the organization Verified Voting, mentioned that although some polling places have reported inoperable machines and suggested that voters return later, they should not have to make a second trip. Voters have the right to request an emergency paper ballot to fill out. Despite the technological issues, in this election, the majority of votes will be cast using paper ballots.
Smith also reported on problems with ballot scanners in several states, for which backup procedures have been implemented allowing ballots to be stored in a separate container until they can be scanned and counted later. They found that some voters had issues with ballot marking machines selecting candidates different from those they intended. She explained that this could be due to incorrect calibration or an accidental touch in an ambiguous area of the screen. To avoid this, she advised voters to tap the candidate's name rather than the small box and to ensure their clothing is not touching the screen. Smith emphasized that calibration failures are common and should not cause concern.
Overall, despite the technological problems, the vast majority of votes will be recorded on paper, ensuring that in the event of any issues, there is a secure backup of the votes. Smith concluded by stating that this election is shaping up to be one of the most resilient to date.
