Early voting in Palm Beach County entered its second week with thousands of residents casting ballots, but a handful of voters experienced technical problems with the county’s touch‑screen voting machines. The issues, reported by residents and local party officials, prompted a swift response from Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link.
Reported machine errors
One voter, who asked to remain off camera, said the machine defaulted to an unintended candidate on three separate attempts, forcing her to re‑select her choice each time. The problem appears to stem from the machines registering a finger touch rather than a stylus, which can cause the selector to hit an adjacent race on a crowded ballot.
Official guidance
Link explained that styluses are always on hand at polling locations and recommended their use to avoid accidental selections. “We always have a stylus available. When we started hearing people say the ballot is dense and races are close together, some voters were using a finger and inadvertently hitting the race above or below what they intended,” she said.
Paper‑ballot availability
The Republican Party of Palm Beach County raised a separate concern that voters were denied the option to request a pen‑and‑paper ballot. Link refuted the claim, stating that every early‑voting site is equipped with ballot‑on‑demand printers, often more than one per location. “That is just not true. Every polling location has a ballot‑on‑demand printer; at most, more than one,” she said. She added that poll workers inform voters in line that they may request a paper ballot if they prefer.
Party response
Carl Cascio, chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party, emphasized the importance of keeping voters informed. “We get messages from our voters and then we pass it on. The law requires a paper ballot upon request, so we need to make sure our voters know their rights and that the Supervisor of Elections is aware of any problems,” Cascio said.
Efforts to improve accessibility
Link also highlighted the county’s ongoing efforts to make voting more accessible. The office recently launched a mobile app that lets voters schedule appointments, a feature she said is unique nationwide. “Our goal is to get as many people as possible to vote across every demographic. The app lets busy students, professionals, disabled voters, or anyone with limited time make an appointment and avoid long lines,” Link explained.
What voters need to know
Voters can still cast their ballots at any early‑voting site throughout Palm Beach County. However, on Election Day they must go to the precinct assigned to their residence. The county continues to monitor the touch‑screen machines and will provide additional training or equipment as needed to ensure a smooth voting experience for all Floridians.
Looking ahead
The reported glitches have not led to any changes in the election timeline, and officials remain confident that the voting process will proceed without major disruption. Residents with concerns are encouraged to contact the Supervisor of Elections office or visit the county’s official website for the latest updates.
Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.
