Pennsylvania voters are doubting the integrity of local elections in the county of Northampton after issues with touchscreen voting devices arose on the latest election day.
Northampton county reportedly used Election Systems & Software touchscreen machines for the first time in 2019 and saw a “programming glitch” that caused an “undercount” of votes in the local judge’s race.
Most recently on November 7, 2023, voters suspicion grew once again when they discovered that their printouts meant to confirm their votes on the devices did not match their choices for two down-ballot judges races.
“In 2019, when the issues came up with the touchscreens, we were told, ‘Don’t worry about it. The cards are recording the votes,’” Northampton County Republican Committee chair Glenn Geissinger said.
“OK, you’re telling me now, in 2023, ‘Don’t worry about what’s printed on the card’?”
According to one county leader, voters are at their “peak of mistrust” with the voting system.
“We’re at the peak of mistrust of one another, but until that subsides, counties like ours need to be nearly perfect, and I think this system allows us to do that,” Lamont McClure said.
Politico reported that “ES&S and Northampton officials acknowledged that pre-election software testing, which is conducted jointly, should have caught that problem.”
