Ballot Review: Bexar County Voters Report Machine Errors at Three Sites

Three Bexar County voters who used early voting machines reported that their selected candidates were changed on the printed ballot, according to KSAT. The incidents occurred at the Converse Community Events Center, Wonderland of the Americas, and Macedonia Baptist Church. In each case, the voters said their choices were altered from Democratic candidates to Republicans.

Emily French, policy director for Common Cause Texas, said the machines are not intentionally changing ballots. French attributed the discrepancies to the sensitivity of the touchscreens rather than programmed manipulation. "The machines are not switching your ballot," French said. "It may not reflect what you had in your brain when you pressed your finger to it, but people are used to touching iPhones and not Palm Pilots, and voting machines in Texas can often feel a lot more like a Palm Pilot than an iPhone."

Michele Carew, the Bexar County Elections Administrator, said in a Friday statement that the county's equipment is secure. Carew said her office is responding to complaints and communicating with the manufacturer to determine whether any action is required. "If a printed ballot appears not to match a voter's intended choices, the voter should notify a poll worker immediately," Carew said.

Michael Sozan, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, said the Trump administration is attempting to cast doubt on the integrity of the election. "We know that President Trump and his administration are terrified of losing the upcoming election," Sozan said during a press call. "They and bad actors are actively attempting to sow confusion, fear and doubt about the election system."

Civil rights groups and constitutional lawyers have prepared for scenarios that include the White House ordering the seizure of ballot boxes and the deployment of immigration agents to polling stations. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters in San Antonio that Democrats have prepared a voter protection effort for the midterm elections. "We understand that it's the American people who should be the ones to decide who's in the majority in the next Congress, and we're going to make sure that's exactly what happens on Nov. 3," Jeffries said.

Early voting in Bexar County continues through Oct. 30. Polls will reopen on Election Day, Nov. 3. Voters may check registration status and polling locations at the Bexar County Elections Department website. The Elections Department also directs voters who encounter intimidation or feel their rights are being infringed upon to call 866-OUR-VOTE.