Politics
Glitch in Voting Machine Flips Votes on Ballot Question
Clear Facts
- A coding error in voting machines in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, caused votes to be flipped on a ballot question regarding the retention of two state judges.
- The glitch affected over 300 machines and was noticed by voters due to discrepancies on printed records.
- The error was confined to Northampton County and did not impact any other races.
A coding error in voting machines in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, led to votes getting flipped on a ballot question regarding the retention of two state judges, The Associated Press (AP) reported Tuesday.
The error reportedly involved the retention votes for Pennsylvania Superior Court Judges Jack Panella and Victor Stabile. Votes marked “yes” to retain one judge and “no” for the other were being switched on the printouts from touchscreen voting machines, The AP reported, citing County Executive Lamont McClure.
The glitch, which affected over 300 machines, was reportedly noticed by voters because of the discrepancies on the printed records. The Pennsylvania Department of State confirmed the issue was confined to Northampton County and did not impact any other races, per The AP.
After discovering the problem, the county reportedly secured a court order to continue using the machines. McClure assured corrections would be made during vote tabulation, the outlet noted.
“Panella’s votes will be returned to Panella, and Stabile’s will be returned to Stabile,” McClure said, per the outlet. McClure described the malfunction as a “relatively minor glitch.”
The county reportedly attributed the error to the voting machine vendor, Election Systems & Software (ES&S). ES&S spokesperson Katina Granger asserted the mistake was due to human error and assured it was an isolated incident affecting only the judicial retention question in Northampton County, The AP noted.
Clear Thoughts
The voting machine glitch in Pennsylvania is yet another example of the systemic issues with our election process.
These coding errors undermine the integrity of our democracy and cast doubt on the accuracy of our elections.
It is alarming that over 300 machines were affected, potentially altering the outcome of an important judicial ballot question.
The fact that this error was confined to one county is not reassuring, as it demonstrates the vulnerability of our voting systems.
We must demand accountability from voting machine vendors and ensure that such glitches are thoroughly investigated and prevented in the future.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Temper
November 11, 2023 at 6:47 am
Think this will be a constant issue and it’s time to get back to hand written ballots and India’s proof of validation that you are who you say you are! I mean, how many times do we go through discovering “Glitches in the machine” errors only because someone “accidently” looked at what was actually processed!
Lee
November 11, 2023 at 12:56 pm
I like Florida method: A a marked paper ballot scanned/tabbulated by a machine and retained for random verification of the machines and possible human recounts
EUGEN
November 11, 2023 at 3:06 pm
BEST METHOD EVER. ONLY IN AMERICA DO WE HAVE ”’GLITCHES” AT ALL VOTING TIMES. WE ARE TIRED OF THE DEMOCRATS CHEATING , LYING CORRUPT WAYS. TRUMP 2024 EVEN THE BLACK PEOPLE ARE WAKING UP. WHY WOULD THEY VOTE FOR ALL THESE ”’KKK”’ COMMUNISTS WHO HAVE NEVER DONE A THING FOR ANY OF THEM. WAKE UP AMERICA. DEMOCRATS GOAL IS TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY, THIS WAS OBAMAS AND BIDENS GOAL FOR 8 YEARS. WE THE CITIZENS ARE AGAINST ”’GENDER IDEOLOGY”’ LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE. BIDEN IS VERY SICK WITH THIS LGBTQ AGENDA.
Joanne C DeStefano
November 11, 2023 at 7:03 am
How convenient for the dems..it’s no accident and will the GOP do anything about it?I think not
Jim B.
November 11, 2023 at 7:11 am
Having been proven that electronic counting machines can be manipulated to sway votes. Going back to actual human counting is the only sure way to make the results accurate! I know it’s a step backwards, but it’s more accurate & viable. It was done for decades without scandal! The American voters need to be assured that their vote is recorded accurately! And, also having to show who you actually are is very crucial!
Rosie46
November 11, 2023 at 7:15 am
Paper ballots, voter ID, no machines, no mass mailins, no unmanned drop boxes, absentee ballots onrequest only and we can get back to having having elections, not selections. No more hundreds of millions by soros, Zuckerberg and others in election processes.
Ernie
November 11, 2023 at 7:24 am
The fact that these voting machines, were supposed to make the elections faster and honest, but nobody seems to ask the questions, why does it take longer to do the results and there’s more voting machines or the programs going crazy,all this proof is in plain sight, but nothing is ever done to radiate these problems. Back to the hand written ballot voting, is the only answer that I can see, plus getting the Dropboxes removed forever!
Sandyd
November 11, 2023 at 7:38 am
Sounds so familiar and will continue, look for it to happen in 2024, “just a glitch”, sure.
Leftshot
November 11, 2023 at 9:12 am
I have managed software development teams for many years and find this explanation highly unlikely.
1. They claim this was a coding error affecting one county. That asserts they were writing code for each county’s unique ballot. That would be an inherently error prone way to design a voting machine. No competent software architect would design a system this way.
2. If they did architect the system this way their claim that errors in voting tabulations were confined to this county are bogus. EVERY county using these systems has the potential to have voting errors.
3. Testing for the type of error described is pretty straightforward and a basic part of testing any software. You just input every possible voting choice combinations and check for an accurate tabulation. This should have been done prior to deploying Election Day. The fact that this wasn’t done is inexcusable. Any first year software engineer is taught to do this.
Fred Doe
November 11, 2023 at 9:54 am
For the Democrats the only glitch here was that somebody noticed.
Red Shannon
November 11, 2023 at 10:15 am
Interestingly, the article does not explain which political segment benefitted from the “glitch”. However, the populace is, thankfully, in an era of awakening and understands that only one side operates by utilizing vote manipulation. If it were the political “right” who did benefit, the very headline would have shouted it from the rooftops.
Gidge
November 11, 2023 at 10:43 am
Not a glitch, the companies swear that there machines are accurate, it is the fact that that can be opened and re programmed. This should not be allowed. But going back to paper ballots and ID is still the safest method, it may take longer for the counting but you know it is right. Pole workers should not have any keys for these machines.
Major Kong
November 11, 2023 at 10:49 am
Granger asserted the mistake was due to human error and assured it was an isolated incident….Yeah, right….
Sunshine Kid
November 11, 2023 at 10:56 am
The very FACT that machines have program errors is the same argument for having only paper ballots that cannot be flipped.
Colleen
November 11, 2023 at 11:10 am
Agree, agree, agree! Mike Lindell pointed out these so-called errors and he went bankrupt trying to prove it. Paper, paper, paper and ID. Enough with this mess. It’s our right to speak out, but no one in a certain party cares just so long as they get the votes. By hook or by crook should be the mantra of the democratic party.
1Clear-eyed Patriot
November 11, 2023 at 5:35 pm
Eugene, your hair is on fire. Obviously, in 2020, your divisive, America-damaging, psychopathic, Narcissistic, wannabe dictator D.J.Trump, lost a legitimate election. There was no “steal,” no “deep state conspiracy,” and after 50+ court cases (many by Republican judges) found no “glitches,” the issue was settled . . . EXCEPT for poor losers like you. No doubt if your football, basketball, soccer, or baseball team doesn’t win, you want to blame the umpires, or cheating by the team opposing your favorite. Perhaps, you could move to Bosnia and enjoy rule by Lukashenko, where there is only one presidential candidate . . . Lukashenko! Could your source of news be Q-Anon?
Morton L Friedman
November 11, 2023 at 11:52 am
I didn’t know the gun was loaded, so sorry my friend. For how many offices was that particular algorithm used for? If it was a ‘coding error’ it should be for every office on that ballot.
CapnJack
November 11, 2023 at 7:29 pm
Same old Bull$hit just a diffent election
Really increases my confidence in the system.
Uncle Art
November 11, 2023 at 7:36 pm
The system needs to go back too the age of mechanical punch cards. Because this age of electronic voting machines are glitching/corrupted/Hacked all the time now !!
Colleen
November 12, 2023 at 10:42 am
I’ll bet your all tired of hearing “well the computer made a mistake,” so the heck programmed the computer that’s what I always ask when I hear this. Maybe, just maybe we ought to ask and what party programmed the computer.
Carole Mitchell
November 13, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Strange these examples just happen to come from Pennsylvania. And what state in the last Presidential election went for days making a final decision along with recounting ballots and finding more votes for Biden than Trump? While we’re at it, how about Trump’s court cases referring to this same state and voting rights for secure voting. How many did those two machines change accidentally and how many other machines did the same? The bright technical heads believe we, the voters, are stupid. How many faulty machines will we the voters find after the 2024 election and our country taken over by Democrats and all the illegal immigrants? No wonder I cannot find anyone who believes their vote counts…but I haven’t missed a vote yet.