electionline Weekly

9:00 a.m. Update

Polls are now open throughout much of the country on Election Day 2020.

Lines formed before the polls opened in many locations, but so far in many places the lines are a volume issue not a technical issue.

There were however some technical issues including in Albany, New York and in Syracuse, New York. The problems in the Albany polling place were resolved by 7am and in Syracuse, they switched to manually processing ballots. In Oswego County, New York, voters were forced to fill out emergency ballots when there was a mix-up with voting machines.

In Spalding County, Georgia, voting machines are down countywide after a technical “glitch”.

In Marion County, Indiana a lack of Wi-Fi and missing keys for voting machines have been reported in some places.

A polling place in Indian River County, Florida was closed after the supervisor of elections was informed Monday night at 9:30pm that the site itself—an American Legion Post—had been closed due to COVID-19. Voters are being directed to another voting location.

In Franklin County, Ohio, poll workers were forced to shift to paper poll books which could slow the voting process for the state’s largest county. The decision to move to the paper rolls came after an electronic file containing data about who voted early was too large and could not be synced with the e-poll books. “We can’t guarantee all the data would be there for all the most recent absentee activity,” Ed Leonard Franklin Co. BOE director told The Columbus Dispatch.

Unfortunately a woman in Affton, Missouri was struck and killed by a car outside of a polling place this morning.

And a small shout out to our hometown election officials at the D.C. Board of Elections. The elections dog and I walked by 3 of the cities 95 vote centers this morning and there were no lines at any of them. No early morning lines in DC is sort of unheard of!!

Finally, as we’ll remind you every time we post today, many media outlets update the same link/story throughout the day so if a headline on a link doesn’t match the headline to the story you pull up, scroll down!

National News: Voting security has come a long way since 2016–but vulnerabilities remain | ‘This is how it was all supposed to work’: The EI-ISAC readies for Election Day

Alabama: ‘That was big’: Auburnn helps players vote on Election Day | 93-year-old Birmingham woman working last election as poll worker | Secretary of state applauds utilities for restoring power to polling places |

Arizona: As thousands of Arizona voters head to the polls, officials say they’re ready|

Connecticut: Long lines form as polls open across Connecticut | Enthusiastic Election Day crowds turn out at New Haven polls for ‘civic duty’ | Election Day in West Hartford: Safety Measures Lead to Lines at Polling Places |

Florida: Voters waiting in line as polls open | Polls open doors | Miami-Dade reports smooth opening to polls | South Floridians swarm polling sites on Election Day | Locked closet delays opening of Jacksonville polling site | Indian River County polling place closed because of COVID-19 |

Georgia: Inside the student-run polling site at Georgia Tech | Some voters running into problems after glitch hits voting machines | Scenes from the polls in Middle Georgia | Spalding County experiencing glitch bringing down voting machines county-wide |

Illinois: Voters rerouted after crash near polling place|

Indiana: Some hiccups as polls open |

Kentucky: Lines are building but moving quickly |

Louisiana: Louisiana begins voting on Election Day 2020 |EBR residents line up at polling locations | Photos: Election day around the New Orleans region |

Maine: Polling places open across Maine with long lines, COVID-19 protocols in place

Massachusetts: Polls open across Massachusetts |

Michigan: Polls now open | Long lines already forming in Flint | Election day is here and voting starts in Oakland County |

Missouri: Lines form early at polling places across St. Louis | Pedestrian struck outside of Affton polling site | Long lines at polling locations in the Ozarks | Arrowhead Stadium officially opens as polling site | Computer issues slow voting in Christian County|

New Hampshire: Voters lining up across state as polls open |

New York: Technical problems at polling place in Syracuse | Some voting locations experiencing technical difficulties as poll open | Poll workers arrive to lines at Wappingers Falls Village Hall on Election Day| Some voting locations experiencing technical difficulties as polls open, issues slowly being resolved | Election Day Progress: Poll sites see long lines, some technical difficulties | Voting Machine Mix-Up in Oswego County | Voters fill out emergency ballots after Oswego Co. machine mix-up | Glitches delay some voters at polling sites in Central New York|

Ohio: Voters line up early at polls across region | Franklin Co. shifts to paper poll books | Lines form as 200 wait for two voting machines in Montgomery Co.| Franklin Co. shifts to paper pollbooks; could slow voting process | Election Day 2020: Hundreds wait in line to votethroughout Miami Valley; some issues reported |

Oklahoma: State Elections Board says polling places will have power|

Pennsylvania: Mountain Top polling place opens late | Voters stand in line before polls open in Hummelstown | Performers flock to the polls to play for Philly voters | Long lines greet early voters | Long lines as Pa. voters show up to polling places |

Rhode Island: Gorbea expects strong Election Day turnout |

Texas: Fort Worth Opera takes arias to the polls |

Virginia: Some Richmond-area voters head to polls early, though lines could be shorter due to early voting |

Wisconsin: Northeast Wisconsin voters line up |

10:30 a.m. Update

Technical problems persist in some Georgia counties as well as in a few Florida voting locations. New York counties too are see some issues. Some places are reporting no lines and other are reporting lines even after the morning rush has ended.

A polling place in Onondaga County, New York has already run out of ballots according to Michele Sardo, Republican Onondaga County Elections Commission. The stub ballots are ones processed through the machines. The polling location started to use affidavit ballots until new ballots were printed, said Sardo.

Law enforcement officials in Kansas City are investigating vandalism at the WWI Museum which is also serving as an Election Day polling place. Early Tuesday, workers found spray paint on stonework near the entrance that said, “don’t vote and fight for revolution.” In a social media response, the museum said, “We are proud to be a polling location and condemn this attempt at voter intimidation. Our democracy is something that generations of veterans, including those in WWI, have fought to defend. We hope you’ll vote today and make your voice heard.”

And finally, at 9:57 a.m. it happened. An SUV crashed into a polling place in Miami County, Ohio. According to WHIOTV, initial reports indicate the driver hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and crashed the vehicle into the building. It was not immediately clear if the crash impacted voting at the location, however reports into this newsroom indicate voting is still continuing as normal at the polling site.

Finally, as we’ll remind you every time we post today, many media outlets update the same link/story throughout the day so if a headline on a link doesn’t match the headline to the story you pull up, scroll down!

National News: Officials brace for lines and lawsuits as polls open on Election Day |

Alabama: Prattville polls getting busy| 2 different ‘I voted’ stickers in Alabama this year; Vote in honor of a veteran |

California: Amid tension, suspense and possible record turnout, L.A. County awaits final election surge |

Connecticut: From Norwich to Plainfield, an early morning crush of voters at local polling stations |

Florida: Tabulation machines at Lee County precincts not reading second page of ballot | Live updates: Record Election Day turnout possible, voting problems in Lake, wrong polling places and call to teach kids ‘civility | Voters hit the polls on Election Day along the Treasure Coast | Polls open to quickly moving lines, some voters nervous |

Georgia: Voting machine error causes delays in Morgan County | Georgia voters rush to the polls but some held up by tech glitches |

Illinois: Lines begin to form as polls open across Illinois |

Indiana: Polling sites open up to long lines | Downtown polling place cheers for first-time voter | Election Day in NWI starts with long lines, minor glitches at polling locations |

Iowa: About 300 people in line at Ankeny after polls open in Iowa |

Kentucky: Steady stream of voters seen at Northern Kentucky polling places |

Louisiana: Short waits reported at polling stations across New Orleans area; no major problems reported |

Maryland: ‘One for the record books’: Anne Arundel County voters line up for Election Day after setting early voting records |

Michigan: Michigan voters line up to take advantage of final day to cast ballots |

Minnesota: Minnesotans head to the polls, but many have already voted|

Missouri: Polling location, National WWI Museum in KC vandalized |

New York: Polling place in Lysander turned people away after running out of voting ballots | NYC poll workers in for tough Election Day commute amid overnight subway shutdown |

Ohio: Voting machines down at Bellbrook polling location; votes must be cast by paper ballot | Some voting machines slow to start in Darke County | Berks Co. officials asking voters to remain patient as county sees large turnout | Summit County avoids poll book issues slowing voting in Franklin County |SUV crashes into Tipp City church serving as polling location for Election Day |

Oklahoma: Officials: All Oklahoma polling locations should have power for elections |

Pennsylvania: At the Pa. polls on Election Day 2020: Long lines greet voters in battleground state |Machines fixed at Covenant Community Church polling place in Harrisburg | Line to vote at Hughes Library extends into liquor store parking lot

South Carolina: Lines, wait times vary at polling sites in Spartanburg Co.|

Texas: More voting issues reported in Fort Bend County |

Vermont: Surplus of poll workers thanks to Vermont Bar Association partnership |

Wisconsin: DJs arrive at four Milwaukee polling sites to entertain voters | Maskless voters given ballots outside polling places | Long lines forming at the polls this morning |

12:15 p.m. Update

Polls are now open everywhere in America including Alaska and Hawaii—although they did close in Guam even before many elections officials got out of bed this morning.

We’re seeing several reports of people receiving misleading robocalls telling them to stay home. Voters in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have gotten the calls.

In Columbia, South Carolina, Department of Corrections officers dressed in riot gear that were conducting a training near a polling place caused some angst for voters. “This is absolutely not intentional,” Corrections spokeswoman Chrysti Shain said. “They train often in that park and had scheduled training for today. It’s a simple mistake. We shouldn’t have been there, absolutely, and they’re gone.” She wasn’t sure how long they were there, but said as soon as a reporter called, the lieutenant in charge was told to end the training.

There have been some scattered reports of voters facing issues with newer poll workers including in Iowa where voter Michael McConkey said he was asked for a photo ID, something not required to vote in the state. After some back and forth a supervisor arrived and McConkey was allowed to vote because he had his voter registration card with him.

Finally, as we’ll remind you every time we post today, many media outlets update the same link/story throughout the day so if a headline on a link doesn’t match the headline to the story you pull up, scroll down!

National News: Election Day voting opens with some lines, scattered glitches and ample anxiety across the nation | No major problems detected’ in US voting process – so far |

Alabama: Turnout is ‘huge’ as polls open in Etowah County |Lines of voters outside Tuscaloosa polling place |

Arkansas: Opening of several polling sites in Jefferson County delayed due to difficulties with new equipment

Arizona: ‘Unity and kindness’: How Arizona celebrities, creatives are taking action on Election Day |

Connecticut: From the sky: Drone photos capture long voting line in CT |

District of Columbia: The story of the first Black voters in DC |

Florida: Election officials work to make polling places safe amid the pandemic | Election Day sees early lines and active polling places across Jacksonville, Northeast Florida |Voters line up before sunrise |

Georgia: Fulton voting tech glitches and delays cause minor issues in Buckhead polling places | Voting machines in Spalding County, Ga once again operating after countywide outage due to glitch | Election Day in Georgia: Here’s a look at polling places around the state | Short lines, minimal delays and high tensions: Scenes from Hall County precincts on Election Day 2020 | Fulton election update: Delivery snafu, shorter lines, few tech problems

Illinois: Voting going smoothly in Rock Island, Scott counties |

Indiana: Polling places busy throughout the morning as election officials expect high turnout | Hotline open to help disabled voters with Election Day concerns, problems in Indiana

Iowa: Voter’s encounter with poll worker frustrating; ballot counting machine fails at precinct | Robocalls urging Iowans not to vote reported to FBI |

Louisiana: Lafayette clerk of court: Call, don’t complain on Facebook about voting machine problems

Maine: Mainers brave snow and wind to vote in election with likely historic turnout |

Maryland: Howard residents take to the polls on Election Day after more than half of the county’s voters cast ballots early |

Massachusetts: Mass. voters pack lines at polls on Election Day |

Michigan: Unique election countdown in East Lansing |Pontiac, Grand Rapids request extra poll workers | Misleading robocalls hit Flint, AG says |

Mississippi: Large turnout in Adams County for Tuesday’s election with a few glitches | Long lines, some problems greet Mississippi voters at the polls |

Missouri: Chiefs coach Andy Reid one of the first in line to cast ballot at Arrowhead Stadium |

Nebraska: Nebraskans get an early start lining up at the polls on Election Day | Reports of robocalls telling voters to ‘stay safe and stay home’|

New Jersey: Cavernous Prudential Center arena reopens to public for 1st time in months as Election Day polling site |

New York: No lines, things running smoothly as Prudential Center serves as super polling site |The boozy history of voting in bars on Election Day | Polls are open, and waits are nonexistent |Poll-site steering means battling electioneering at SI voting site |

North Carolina: Wrong ballots delivered to Bladen precinct, changes in polling sites across the Cape Fear |

Ohio: Machine issues resolved in Bellbrook; voting continues after vehicle hits Tipp City polling place | Polls open with long lines as problems with electronic pollbooks snag Election Day | No ‘major issues’ so far, Montgomery County elections director says | Issues at west Columbus polling location cause frustration for voters |

Oklahoma: OG&E crews working to restore power at some polling locations |

Pennsylvania: Polling place confusion, mask-wearing among early Lehigh Valley Election Day problems | Voters encounter some lines and ‘mostly minor’ problems at Erie County polling places | Area voters wait in line to cast their votes | ‘I never had to really wait in a line to vote’: West Shore precincts see steady traffic |Voting begins early, with long lines across the Philadelphia area |Polls ‘Crazy busy’ across Valley; Snyder County working on glitch with scanner |

South Carolina: Earlewood Park polling place back open after smoke caused evacuation | Wi-Fi woes slow voting, prison riot teams spotted near precinct |An hour here, 5 minutes there as lines in Upstate hit the lunchtime |

South Dakota: Voters wait up to an hour at some Sioux Falls polling spots |

Texas: Some Latinos in rural Texas face longer drives to get to polling places | Problem with some Hidalgo County polling sites partially resolved | Smooth sailing as Election Day kicks off in Smith Co. | Report: Some Walker County voters experiencing long wait times | Tech Issues Create Delays At Polls Across Texas |

Utah: Utahns greet Election Day with voting lines, some boarded-up windows |

Wisconsin: Marathon Park voting site in Wausau busier than expected, poll worker says | Moderate lines early on for Kewaunee County polling stations |

2:30 p.m. Update

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ordered the U.S. Postal Service to immediately sweep processing facilities in multiple battleground states for any remaining mail-in ballots and to rush delivery as receipt deadlines near. Sullivan gave USPS inspectors until 3 p.m. EST “to ensure that no ballots have been held up and that any identified ballots are immediately sent out for delivery.”

It’s a real dog and kid show at some polling places in Florida where there were dogs at a nearby dog park and kids coming to and from a nearby daycare than there were voters heading into certain polling places.

North Carolina has already announced that it will delay releasing election results until at least 8:15 p.m. after four precincts opened late this morning.

Finally, as we’ll remind you every time we post today, many media outlets update the same link/story throughout the day so if a headline on a link doesn’t match the headline to the story you pull up, scroll down!

Note: Our  next update will come around 5pm and then, depending on how things go as the polls close there will be one more update after that and then we’ll have all the over night news in the morning.

National: Voting on Election Day Sees Minor Issues After Prepping for Big Problems | Nationwide voting machines facing glitches early on Election Day | Free meals and snacks while waiting in line on Election Day? These groups have voters covered | Black, Latino, Asian and Native Americans flock to polls amid deadly, difficult year for brown and Black people | Judge tells USPS to sweep facilities for ballots so they can be delivered to election officials |Early voting surge leads to quiet morning at polls; few problems reported | Judge orders USPS sweep for remaining mail ballots in swing states |

Arizona: Photos: Election Day in Pima County and Arizona |

California: Mariachi band serenades new voters on Election Day at Dodger Stadium | Los Angeles landmarks transform into polling locations for Election Day | What’s the scene at SLO County polls on Election Day? |

Connecticut: Official: Wallingford voting machine breaks; ballots protected while repairs made | Ballot mix-up in Killingly leads to wrong votes cast | Coventry lines moving quickly after polls resembled a ‘zoo’ this morning | Ballot mishap in New London leaves 70 votes in question |

Florida: So Far, So Good At The Polls But ‘Don’t Wait Until Last Minute’ Cautions Elections Supervisor | Doggies outnumber voters outside one precinct | Business is boom or bust near Mount Dora polling place | Short lines reported at polling locations across Central Florida | Voter protection task force continues to monitor voting sites |

Georgia: Georgia woman’s ‘I voted sticker’ finds home on Susan B. Anthony’s gravesite in Rochester

Illinois: Scattered voting issues reported across Illinois | Chicago turnout could hit 75%, relatively few voting problems reported Tuesday morning as election board looks into Truman College early voting issue | Hazard pay grant awarded to Tazewell County election judges |Norridge voters report delays at Pennoyer School polling place; some wait three hours |

Indiana: Porter County reports voting smooth despite waits | Truck with campaign flags causes a stir at Swanson school in South Bend |

Iowa: Lines form at polling places, no school in Iowa City frees up polling sites | Voters in diverse Polk neighborhood encounter no voting obstacles; ‘poll patrol’ reports no issues |

Louisiana: No major issues reported at polling locations without power on Election Day |

Maine: Lewiston election officials report smooth going — so far |

Maryland: Election Day in Harford: Steady stream of voters throughout the day as political polarization and COVID-19 pandemic drive turnout | Polling place changes surprise some voters | Mississippi voters find lengthy lines at polling places on Election Day |

Michigan: Jackson Co. voters wait in socially distant lines |

Mississippi: Lafayette County sees long lines, record turnout for Election Day  | Long lines, high emotions as Mississippi voting gets under way on Election Day 2020 |

Missouri: Jackson County voters praise speedy Arrowhead polling experience | Funeral home offering free rides to polling places in limousine |

New York: Brooklyn Election Day polls mostly orderly, lines short | Election dysfunction in NYC: ‘I am voting twice … legally. It should not have come to this.’ |

North Carolina: Polling site opening delayed after precinct judge shows up late | Elections officials argue over tiny number of erroneous ballots on Election Day eve |NC elections board to consider extending hours of multiple precincts, including Bluford Elementary in Greensboro | North Carolina to delay releasing election results until 8:15 over precinct issues |

Ohio: No signs of voter intimidation in Ohio, group says |

Pennsylvania: Pa. officials: We have received very few complaints at start of Election Day | Philadelphia polls open to long lines, some early-morning hiccups | Early morning voting snags strike the Philadelphia area |

Rhode Island: BOE: All 461 RI polling places operational, despite some kinks getting up and running |

South Carolina: Voter turnout surges in South Carolina on Election Day with absentee record already set|

South Dakota: South Dakota voters queue up at polling places | Long lines stretch outside of polling places in South Dakota |

Texas: In Hopkins County, Voting Machine Problems Create Delay  | Voting times extended in Upshur County due to machine issues | Bexar County polling sites averaging 7,500 voters an hour on Election Day; issues surround new printers | LGBTQ bar in Houston makes history as polling location |

Virginia: James City County experiences slight issue regarding malfunctioning voting machines following booth wipe downs  | No major issues reported in region as Election Day continues | Smooth process, high turnout seen at Lynchburg-area polling places |

Wisconsin: Lines moving steadily, voters observing COVID-19 safety rules in Oshkosh | After early rush, Door County voting going smoothly |

5:00 p.m. Update

We start off this update with some very, very sad news. Former Delaware Elections Commissioner Elaine Manlove, who retired in June 2019, was killed in a car crash yesterday. We’ll have more in the newsletter this week, but for those who have been around this business for a while, Elaine was one of the absolute best and this is just so incredibly sad.

In North Carolina, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department said they arrested an armed man Tuesday who returned to a polling place after being banned from the site earlier in the day. They said in a statement that he voted at the site but “continued to loiter” afterward, prompting a call to the police. He was asked to leave by a supervisor at the polling place and was banned from returning, the police said. He left but later returned and was arrested and charged with second-degree trespassing.

In Northampton County, Pennsylvania, a voter on his way to vote accidentally shot himself outside the polling place. “The gentleman was emptying his sidearm so that he would not have a loaded weapon in the polling place,” Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure confirmed. McClure said the man called 911 and drove himself to the hospital. He added that no one in or around the polling place heard or was aware of the incident. Northampton County became aware, McClure said, because it is responsible for the 911 system.

U.S. District Court Judge Petrese Tucker has granted 4th Congressional District candidate Kathy Barnette’s motion to temporarily hold off counting potentially defective mail-in ballots in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Tucker granted Barnette’s motion for a temporary injunction preventing the county from allowing any more voters to fix ballots that might otherwise have not been counted. The federal lawsuit filed by Kathy Barnette early Tuesday afternoon alleges the Montgomery County Board of Elections violated the state’s election code by inspecting ballots early.

Finally, as we’ll remind you every time we post today, many media outlets update the same link/story throughout the day so if a headline on a link doesn’t match the headline to the story you pull up, scroll down!

National News: While there have been minor glitches at the polls, Election Day relatively smooth so far | Long lines, enthusiasm but no major problems as US votes | Voters flock to polls across America, anxious but eager to have final say after tumultuous campaign | Amid pandemic, the long decline of in-person voting on Election Day is likely to accelerate this year | Leslie Odom Jr. encourages voters to ‘Wait for It’ with ‘Hamilton’-inspired PSA |

Alabama: Poll watchers in Alabama report massive turnout, long waits and machine shortages |

Arizona: Polling locations on Western Navajo Nation open for voters |

California: Election Day voting going smoothly in Bay Area |

Connecticut: Conn. election officials work around jammed ballot scanners |

Colorado: Weld Clerk and Recorder: Election Day running smoothly; more votes already cast than in 2016 | Denver elections strives to be ‘pandemic proof’ with drop off ballot option |

Delaware: ‘Cruel irony’ that former state elections commissioner killed in crash on eve of election, officials say |

District of Columbia: Artists hope to inspire civic engagement outside DC polling places on Election Day |

Florida: Voting rights group official on voting in Florida |

Georgia: Voting machine problems reduced but not eliminated in Chatham Co. | Judge orders U.S. Postal Service to find ballots in Atlanta, elsewhere | Voting hours extended at two DeKalb polling places | Voting hours extended at 1 Cobb County voting location |

Hawaii: Hawaii casts record number of ballots as Election Day gets underway |

Illinois: Traffic is brisk at Peoria polling places, with a lot of first-time voters |

Indiana: Some Lake County polling locations see small rush turn into steady flow on Election Day | ‘It makes you feel good’: Indianapolis Colts players greet voters at Lucas Oil Stadium |

Kentucky: Extra ballots delivered to polling location |

Louisiana: They waited 15 years for an accessible polling site after Katrina. Then another hurricane hit. |

Michigan: Election Day is ‘running smooth” in Grand Rapids, officials say |

Mississippi: Poll workers begin hours-long process of organizing absentee ballots | 99-year-old Black man born on a plantation votes: ‘I just hope that things get better’ |

Missouri: Man disrupts Christian Co. polling location |

Montana: Great Falls sees historic voter turnout for Election Day 2020 |

Nebraska: Turnout heavy but manageable at Nebraska polling places |

New Hampshire: Voters pack polls across state |

New Jersey: The election so far: Some glitches with in-person and mail-in voting, some voter confusion |

New York: Chenango County voting system tested in face of hacker attack |

North Carolina: An election unlike any other for longtime Gaston poll worker | Armed man arrested outside of polling place |

North Dakota: Fargo police paying ‘particular attention’ to polling locations |

Ohio: Ohio Secretary of State says state has seen few issues on Election Day | Voter intimidation, poll worker shortages not a worry in Montgomery County | Poll workers at Mentor Senior Center made sure they made voters feel safe during pandemic |

Oklahoma: No power, no problem: How one Oklahoma City polling site continued to count votes after losing electricity on election day |

Oregon: Election Day 2020 vote security front of mind for officials in Oregon |

Pennsylvania: Luzerne County polling places experience voting machine issues | Some Northumberland County precincts running out of paper ballots, officials bringing in more; Union County officials to allow provisional ballots | Pa. reports minimal problems in early hours of live voting | Late-opening polls worsen long lines in heated election | Elections court removes Pittsburgh poll worker for ‘causing a disturbance’ |  Man accidentally shoots himself in hip outside Slate Belt polling place | Philly’s Election Task Force responds to complaints of alleged voter interference | Pittsburgh polling place opened late because judge of elections’ vehicle was stolen | Northampton Co. investigating election complaint | Wait time at York Co. polling place is more than 4 hours | New polling locations cause some confusion in Lycoming County | Judge orders temporary halt in counting some Montgomery Co. ballots |

Rhode Island: How RI National Guard cyber defenders help protect election technology from attackers |

Washington: Sammamish drop box gets special traffic controls for Election Day|

Wisconsin: ‘We’re going to get it done’: Poll workers redoing misprinted ballots |

8 p.m. Update

Polls are now closed/closing most of the Eastern and Central times zones.

The U.S. Postal Service blew a court-ordered deadline Tuesday to sweep mail-processing facilities in more than a dozen states for missing election ballots that could number in the hundreds of thousands. The sweep was to happen in 12 postal districts, including in battleground states Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan gave the agency until 3:30 p.m. to finish the task. The Postal Service said in its update to Sullivan at 4:30 p.m. that it was unable to conduct the sweep because it would have “significantly” disrupted its Election Day activities. Instead, the agency said, it would continue its preplanned daily review process in its 220 facilities nationwide that process ballots and would try to deliver any remaining ballots.

Republicans and the president’s re-election campaign asked the Nevada Supreme Court to fast-track an appeal aimed at stopping the count of mail-in ballots in the Las Vegas area. Justices did not immediately set an Election Day hearing on an issue that could affect reporting the vote in Clark County and Nevada, with six electoral presidential votes at stake. Documents filed almost six hours after polls opened pleaded with the seven justices, who are seated in nonpartisan elections, to allow campaign-enlisted count-watchers to “meaningfully observe” operations at the busy Clark County elections office in suburban Las Vegas.

Due problems with voting machines countywide, Spalding County, Georgia has extended its polling place hours till 9 p.m. countywide. Voters who arrive from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. can cast a provisional ballot marked for extended voting times. Those votes will not be tabulated until Friday.

Superior Court Judge Mary C. Jacobson denied a request from the New Jersey Republican State Committee for an order directing poll workers to provide the total number of vote-by-mail ballots received at polling sites in the same way that state statutes require them to turn over the number of voters who used voting machines and provisional ballots.

Finally, as we’ll remind you every time we post today, many media outlets update the same link/story throughout the day so if a headline on a link doesn’t match the headline to the story you pull up, scroll down!

National News: Despite hacking fears, Election Day has a mostly smooth start | Voting proceeds smoothly across US despite fears of unrest | Election Day: Glitches, lawsuits, robocalls, but not major disruptions | USPS Service blows deadline to check for missing ballots. About 300,000 can’t be traced | 12-hour drives, last-minute flights. Missing absentee ballots prompt costly, lengthy in-person voting journeys | Federal official says voting security remains strong as polls begin to close |

Alabama: SPLC poll monitor detained, threatened with arrest in Autauga County | Person stabbed at Legion Field polling location |

California: Low voter turnout in East San Jose sparks concern | Orange Co. DA looking into reports candidate’s supporters allegedly discarded ballots | Long lines on Election Day prompt extra voting center to open at San Bernardino airport |

Connecticut: Live donkey brought to Waterbury polling place |

Florida: Brevard voters turn out on peaceful Election Day as vote comes to a close |

Georgia: Spalding County extends voting hours after issues with machines | Awaiting returns after most Ga. precincts close |

Indiana: Polls close in Indiana | Voting delays due to missing ballot machine keys in Indiana county | St. Joseph County debuts vote centers on a busy Election Day |

Illinois: West Town polling place relocated after sprinkler system activates | 17 Suburban Cook Co. polling places staying open an extra hour | Some poll workers reported ‘slow day’ Election Day after record early voting turnout |

Kentucky: ‘Nothing wrong’ with Kentucky county’s voting Nov. 3, clerk says |

Louisiana: High voter turnout in St. Tammany Parish on Election Day | Baker Police Dept. responds to reports of man armed with assault rifle near polling location |

Maryland: Power outage reported at Baltimore polling site | ‘I’d wait as long as it took’: Maryland voters turn out in extraordinary election year |

Massachusetts: Massachusetts voter who wore Black Lives Matter shirt successfully casts ballot after initially being turned away from polls |

Minnesota: Amid high stakes and record early voting, Minnesotans across the state continue to head to the polls |  Short lockdown at St. Paul polling place after gunfire nearby, no injuries | Local musicians perform for voters at polling places |

Mississippi: Video shows Mississippi election commissioner fight with opponent’s supporter |

Nevada: Nevada high court asked to stop Vegas-area mail ballot count |

New Hampshire: Some NH voters felt ‘anxious’ about MAGA hats |

New Jersey: Few lines at Camden Co. polling place | NJ GOP loses bid for count of mail-in ballots at polls | In Passaic County, orderly vote count amid extraordinary conditions | Paper ballots, hand sanitizer and plenty of confusion: Scenes from N.J.’s polling sites |

New York: Delays, issues reported at some polling locations on Long Island | Brooklyn polling sites running relatively smoothly | Dispute at Brooklyn polling site caught on camera | NYC BOE says counting of mail-in ballots will take some time |

North Carolina: Voting extended at six more polling places | Days after NC march to polls ended with pepper-spray and arrests, group marches again |

Ohio: ‘It feels historic’: Despite long lines, pandemic safety measures, locals report steady voting process |

Pennsylvania: Voting machine issues change plans for some Lackawanna County voters | Carbon sending out extra ballots to polling places | Why Pennsylvania won’t finish counting absentee ballots until Friday at the earliest | Republicans file suit in Pa. to block mail-in voters from ‘curing’ ballots | Police searching for woman accused of to trying to set fire to polling place in Pequea Township |

Rhode Island: Voting machine rejecting some ballots in Central Falls |

South Carolina: Spartanburg County party officials report problems with some voting machines |  Voters still waiting at one precinct as polls close in Aiken County | Voters cast ballots from their cars in Greenville | Dorchester County can’t count absentee ballots due to printing error, results delayed |

Texas: Tarrant County polling site remains calm days after volatile clash | Rice University students work polling location in an effort to motivate younger adults to participate | Hidalgo voters in line after 7p.m. must cast provisional ballot | Some Dallas County poll workers opt not to wear masks on Election Day |

Utah: Mayor: Unidentified woman turned away Duchesne County in-person voters |

Virginia: Election Day in Virginia largely uneventful, state officials say | Man arrested in threat to bomb Virginia polling place |

Wisconsin: Green Bay hits 40,000 votes | An amusement park, a bar and museums: Wisconsinites cast their ballots at unusual polling locations |