Utah: Voting Machine Problems Could Force 52,000 to Use Paper Ballots

ARLINGTON, VA - NOVEMBER 08: Voters fill out their paper ballots in a polling place on election day November 8, 2016 in Arlington, Virginia. Americans across the nation make their choice for the next president of the United States today. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Alex Wong/Getty Images

(AP) Election officials say voting machine problems in southern Utah are forcing poll workers to use paper ballots, potentially affecting tens of thousands of people.

Utah Director of Elections Mark Thomas says a programming problem has affected all voting in Washington County, but so far appears it appears limited to that county.

He says about 52,000 registered voters there have yet to cast their ballots.

Election workers are trying to fix the computer problem and hope they can start using the voting machines later in the day.

Thomas says officials were prepared with backup paper ballots. But he said they will need to print more if the problem persists.

There are about 80,000 total registered voters in Washington County. Some 28,000 have already cast their ballots through early voting.

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