York County to manually recount election results after problem with voting machines

York County employees will begin a manual recount on Monday of some contested races from last Tuesday’s general election.

A programming error allowed voters to cast two votes for any candidate who was cross-filed on the ballot — one vote as Republican and one as a Democrat.

The error only affected races where candidates were cross-filed, which includes the election of three York County Common Pleas Court judges. Some local municipal and school board races also were affected.

County spokesman Mark Walters said Thursday afternoon that the vendor for the voting machines was able to determine a method by which to print the election results on paper.

Walters explained that in each race, each candidate is identified by an assigned number. He said the manual search will allow the county to determine where double votes were cast by a voter.

The recount will not identify specific voters and the votes they cast, Walters said

That recount of eight races is to begin at 9 a.m. Monday at the York County Administrative Center in downtown York. The county is drafting employees to take part in the recount.

Walters said no employees from county offices that were on the Nov. 7 ballot will participate in the recount to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.

He also said that the employees who do take part in the recount will not be told what race or candidates are involved their specific recount.

Walters said he expected about 12 county employees will be needed and that the recount could take several days.

The county election board already was scheduled to meet on Monday. Instead of addressing the typical post-election issues, the employees for the recount will be sworn in. The recount is to immediately follow.

The recount is the first step in attempting to rectify the election results. Walters said the Pennsylvania Department of State will observe the process, which also is open to the general public.

The contested races to be recount are:

• Court of Common Pleas (10-year term) (Vote for three)
• School Director (4-year) — Central York (VF4)
• Supervisor (6-year) — Dover Township (VF2)
• Council (4-year) — Glen Rock Borough (VF3)
• Council (4-year) — North York Borough (VF4)
• Council (4-year) — Red Lion Borough (VF4)
• School Director (4-year) — West York Area (VF4)
• Council (4-year) — West York Borough (VF4)

This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The York Daily Record.