WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS PROVIDES UPDATE ON EMERGENCY BALLOT PROCESSING FOLLOWING ELECTION DAY
(Ardsley, NY) — The Westchester County Board of Elections (BOE) is providing an update on the ongoing processing of emergency ballots following the technical issues experienced at polling locations throughout Westchester County on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
As previously reported, an issue involving paper ballots prevented voting machines from accepting ballots at polling locations across the County. The Board of Elections immediately began working to address the issue while ensuring that residents could continue exercising their fundamental right to vote. Emergency ballot procedures were implemented to allow voting to continue. Voters completed their paper ballots, which were placed in designated secure emergency ballot bags for subsequent processing.
Throughout Election Day, the Board’s message remained clear: Voters were not being turned away, voters were not being instructed to return at a later time, and every properly cast ballot would be secured and counted.
The Board of Elections recognizes the frustration, confusion and inconvenience this situation caused voters, poll workers and election officials. The Board remains committed to ensuring that every valid ballot is accurately counted and that the integrity of the election process is maintained.
Emergency ballots are being tabulated using ballot scanners. The counting process will continue daily, as necessary, until all emergency ballots have been processed.
Emergency Ballot Processing Update
The Westchester County Board of Elections reports the following preliminary figures:
- Emergency Ballots Scanned November 4: 15,467
- Emergency Ballots Scanned November 5: 63,980
These figures are preliminary and subject to reconciliation and verification as ballot processing continues.
Board of Elections Focused on Completing Emergency Ballot Processing
The immediate priority of the Westchester County Board of Elections is the continued scanning and processing of emergency ballots cast on Election Day. Bipartisan election staff are working to ensure that ballots are processed securely, accurately and in accordance with New York State election law.
While the Board understands the public’s desire for immediate results and answers, its primary responsibility at this time is to ensure that every valid ballot is properly processed and counted. This work requires careful attention to detail, established safeguards and thorough verification.
The Board apologizes for its limited ability to respond individually to inquiries during this time. To keep the public informed, the Westchester County Board of Elections will update its official website multiple times each day with the latest available emergency ballot processing statistics and relevant information.
Voters, candidates and members of the media are encouraged to visit https://app.enhancedvoting.com/results/public/westchester-county-ny/elections/2026GeneralElection for the most up-to-date information.
(EDITOR’S NOTE CLARIFICATION: THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS PROVIDED A PICTURE OF THE BALLOT SHOWING THE ERROR YESTERDAY TO SELECTED MEDIA SHOWING THE AREA ON THE THOUSANDS OF BALLOTS WHERE THE BAR CODE WAS NOT PRINTED CORRECTLY, CAUSING THE SCANNERS ACROSS THE COUNTY TO REJECT THE BALLOTS, AS COUNTY EXECUTIVE KEN JENKINS TOLD THE PRESS TUESDAY ON ELECTION DAY’S AFTERNOON NEWS CONFERENCE ON THE HISTORIC ELECTION DAY INABLITY TO PROCESS THE BALLOTS. THE COUNTY DID NOT PROVIDE THIS TO ALL MEDIA.)
(SECOND EDITOR’S NOTE CLARIFICATION: RESULTS OF THE WESTCHESTER VOTE FOR MAJOR STATE OFFICES AND WESTCHESTER COMMUNITIES WERE AVAILABLE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ON THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE.)
