Counting problems delay US midterm result
In a district near New York, voting machines rejected paper ballots, while voting continued.
There is news on this story (Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 00:46): First polling stations close, early US midterm results could still shift
Follow-up to: Americans vote today on Trump's power base Tuesday, 3 November 2026, 06:46
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The US midterm elections are encountering technical problems in several places. In Westchester County, north of New York, voters had to place their ballots in secure bags after voting machines failed to process them properly.
According to Associated Press, the authorities were working together to restore at least one voting scanner at every polling station in the county. Axios reported that voters could fill in their ballots on paper and deposit them in a secure bag.
The problems do not automatically mean that votes have been lost. They may, however, delay the count if the ballots can only be processed later.
The midterm elections determine the distribution of seats in Congress and can be seen as a political test for President Donald Trump. According to AP, voters are casting ballots on issues including high prices and Trump's foreign policy.
Several states are also experiencing local problems with equipment, weather conditions and access to polling stations. The scale varies from place to place; the sources consulted provide no indication that the problems alone will determine the national result.
The key question is therefore not only how many votes can be counted immediately, but also whether election authorities clearly explain the chain of custody. In a polarised political climate, unclear procedures can quickly be seized upon to sow doubt about the result.
Also show the region and a close-up
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The US midterms took place on Tuesday.
- There were problems with voting scanners in Westchester County.
- Election authorities were able to continue voting using an alternative procedure.
- The problems were identified locally.
Left
Arguments Election authorities should provide voters with maximum support and ensure that technical problems discourage or disadvantage no one.
Values Accessibility, the right to vote and equal treatment.
Consequences More manual checks and resources may be needed, even if this delays the result.
Centre
Arguments A transparent chain of custody and uniform procedures are more important than a fast result.
Values Institutional reliability, verifiability and legal certainty.
Consequences A delayed result is acceptable if every vote can demonstrably be included.
Right
Arguments Election authorities should test technical systems more thoroughly in advance and prevent local errors from developing into national uncertainty.
Values Administrative competence, responsibility and confidence in the rules.
Consequences Stricter standards may reduce errors, but must not unnecessarily block legitimate votes.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved with corrections · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The local counting problems have been confirmed. The initial figure of 250,000 uncountable votes could not be confirmed and has been removed from the article.
- confirmed Voting scanners in Westchester County failed to process paper ballots properly. — AP and Axios reported the problem. source
- confirmed Voters could place ballots in secure bags. — Axios described this procedure. source
- incorrect 250,000 votes could not be counted. — This appeared in a Dutch headline but was not confirmed by the AP and Axios sources consulted. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: Up to 250,000 votes cannot be counted in New York.Now: In Westchester County, defective or improperly programmed scanners caused delays in counting. (The figure of 250,000 was not confirmed by the free sources consulted.)
Editor's note
The technical problems are local and do not permit a national conclusion about fraud or the result. The original report of 250,000 uncountable votes was not confirmed by the sources consulted and has therefore not been included.Sources
- The Latest: Voters cast their ballots as Republicans hope to hold control of Congress — Associated Press
- Voting machine chaos hits key House battleground — Axios
- Election Day unfolds with relatively few problems — Associated Press
The story so far
- Tuesday, 3 November 2026, 06:46 Americans vote today on Trump's power base
- Tuesday, 3 November 2026, 21:47 Counting problems delay US midterm result (this article)
- Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 00:46 First polling stations close, early US midterm results could still shift
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „verenigde staten”
- RTL Nieuws — „verenigde staten”
- NOS — „verenigde staten”