(NewsNation) — A judge has allowed a Pennsylvania county to extend its voting hours after a technical problem prevented some people from scanning their ballots.
The Cambria County Board of Elections filed an emergency petition Tuesday morning seeking to end polling hours at 10 p.m. ET rather than 8 p.m. ET.
“We understand that there are some line delays on the ground,” Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley wrote on X. “We need you to stay in line. We need you to fill out your ballot in full and deliver it. Our Pennsylvania lawyers are all over this issue and will ensure fairness and accuracy in the process.”
A judge granted the extension, and polls will remain open until 10 p.m. ET.
Machines in the region malfunctioned Tuesday and prevented some voters from scanning their completed ballots, according to the petition.
The issue delayed operations for several hours and threatened “to disenfranchise a significant number of voters” in the area, according to the petition.
The county is home to about 133,000 people and 85,000 registered voters, according to 2023 tallies from the state elections division.
