Election 2024 Live Updates: Polls close in Cumberland County

The Sentinel will be covering the 2024 Election throughout the day Tuesday with live updates on in-person voting and live election results as they start coming in Tuesday evening. Check back to Cumberlink.com throughout the day as information and results emerge from this year's presidential election.

Polls close in Cumberland County

Polls have closed in Cumberland County, but those who may still be waiting in line have the right to stay in line and vote at their polling precinct. Poll workers should not be turning anyone away who was lined up before 8 p.m.

For those who are now waiting for election results, expect Cumberland County's tallies to start coming in during the early 9 o'clock hour. Because the bureau is able to pre-canvass ballots during the day, mail-in ballots are often among the votes released first in the night.

Court rules on election issues in Allegheny County

The Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County has made several rulings on election matters throughout the day. Among the rulings, the court has ordered that fire alarm tests at Moon Area High School must cease until polls close. Two polling sites are in the school cafeteria lobby.

The court also ordered signs falsely portraying as being posted by the Pennsylvania Department of State and providing misinformation about a Democratic candidate be removed from polling sites in that legislative district.

Poll watchers working on behalf of the Democratic Party throughout Allegheny County who were wearing "Voter Protection" badges inside polling places were ordered to remove the badges while inside polling sites.

The court also ordered the sheriff's office to detain three men who were blocking entrance to one of the polling precincts in the county.

Where to find election results

Polls will close in an hour, and there are multiple ways that you can keep track throughout the night as election tallies start coming in.

Check back to Cumberlink.com where we'll have county and statewide results for contested races on the ballot.

The Sentinel will be pulling from Cumberland County's Bureau of Elections' website that will be updated throughout the night, as well as from the Pennsylvania Department of State's website .

Court intercedes in Fayette County election judge's hand-count plans

The Court of Common Pleas in Fayette County has interceded with the plans of the Washington Township election judge, Vincent Manetta, to open ballot boxes after polls closed and conduct a hand count of the votes for president. State law mandates that the boxes and election materials be returned to the county election bureau to be counted.

The court ordered that the ballot boxes and election materials be returned to the county election office without a hand count and that if Manetta persisted, the boxes be escorted by a sheriff's deputy to the office.

It also ordered the sheriff's office to escort material from any other precinct that is "acting outside of the authority outlined in the statute."

Software malfunctions in Cambria County; voter turnout high in Philly

Philadelphia Democrats told the Philadelphia Inquirer that in-person turnout in the city was high throughout Tuesday.

"Lines everywhere I went," Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said.

Philadelphia City Commissioners don't have the ability to track citywide turnout in real time, so any speculation that turnout is high is based on instances at individual polling places.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that polling places in Cambria County will remain open until 10 p.m. Tuesday, according to a court order from the county's Court of Common Pleas.

County solicitor Ronald Repak filed an emergency petition to extend voting after software malfunctions hampered voting in the county for hours after polls opened.

"The malfunction caused voter confusion, long lines of voters, and many individuals left the polling locations without casting a ballot," Repak wrote, adding that such a malfunction "threatens to disenfranchise a significant number of voters in Cambria County."

The issues had been corrected by late morning.

The court order, signed by President Judge Linda Rovder Fleming, dictates that any ballots cast after the normal 8 p.m. deadline must be cast by provisional ballot.

Check out photos from area precincts

Sentinel Photographer Jason Malmont was out this morning at Carlisle-area precincts, illustrating just how many local voters are out at the polls.

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What is the political make-up of Cumberland County?

Cumberland County has long been a red-leaning county, although the latest voter registration numbers also show a significant number of voters registered with third parties that make up the difference between Republicans and Democrats.

For Tuesday's election, the Cumberland County Bureau of Elections reported there are 187,335 registered voters in the county. Of those, 91,480 identify as Republicans and 63,312 identify as Democrats. Despite Pennsylvania being a closed primary state, there are also 32,543 registered voters who are aligned with other parties.

What the mail-in ballot demographic looks like

Although mail-in ballots started out primarily popular among Democrats, the number of people who requested them this year has started to even out between the two major parties.

The Cumberland County Bureau of Elections reported last week that it sent out 48,223 mail-in and absentee ballots to registered voters: 21,574 to Democrats, 19,716 to Republicans and 6,933 to other party voters.

As of last Thursday, the county received 79% of the ballots back, with 17,396 coming from Democrats, 16,036 from Republicans and 4,856 from other parties. As of 7 a.m. today, 42,439 of 48,260 mail-in and absentee ballots had been returned, the county said.

Ballots can be returned until 8 p.m. today at the election bureau's office, 1601 Ritner Highway, Suite 201, Carlisle.

Rules for those observing ballot canvassing

Along with poll watchers at polling precincts, people are allowed to also observe the ballot canvassing process at the county Bureau of Elections.

Cumberland County commissioners on Thursday approved a number of rules and regulations regarding observers. They may not interfere with or talk to those performing the canvass; instead they can ask questions to only county elections director Bethany Salzarulo or her designee.

Observers are positioned in a special observation area in the same room as the canvassing but away from workers, and they are not allowed to have cellphones or electronic devices in this area.

Anyone who does not follow the rules will be removed from the observation area, according to the county.

What to know about poll watchers

Given the heightened interest around the election, there may be more poll watchers than usual at area precincts. Poll watchers are people who must live in that election district and obtain a certification from the county to be there as a representative of a candidate or party. There are only so many allowed at a time at a single precinct.

While poll watchers are allowed to watch the election process from inside the precinct, they are only allowed to speak directly to poll workers and the judge of elections. Poll watchers must file complaints to only the judge of elections, and they are not allowed to approach voters or interfere with them in any way. They are also not allowed to lodge complaints about a voter based on race, appearance, language, religion and other characteristics not relevant to voting qualification.

The Pennsylvania Department of State says poll watchers are not allowed to solicit votes or display campaign material, and voter intimidation includes photographing or recording voters, disseminating false or misleading election information, blocking the entrance to the polling place, confronting or hovering over voters, engaging in threatening behavior and asking voters for documentation.

How to report issues at the polls

Voters have rights at the polls, and those who believe they have experienced intimidation or see election fraud or election crimes can report it through the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Voters can file reports online at vote.pa.gov or by calling 1-877-868-3772.

Track your ballot

Mail-in ballot voters can make sure their ballot has been received and recorded by visiting the Pennsylvania Department of State website: pavoterservices.pa.gov .

By clicking on "Election Ballot Status," you can search by name, birthdate and county of residence to see a ballot's status.

The web portal will show when the ballot was received by the county and whether the ballot has been accepted.

If a ballot is rejected, Cumberland County previously said that the SURE System will email the voter on record to tell them that a mistake on the ballot was found. For questions about the ballots, call the county office at 717-240-6385.

As polling places opened this morning, trained Cumberland County staffers began the pre-canvass process, which includes preparing ballots to be scanned.

The county's Bureau of Elections had received 42,439 mail-in or absentee ballots as of 7 a.m. from the 48,260 people who requested them, officials announced.

"The 322 overseas civilian absentee ballots and the three mail-in ballots that were challenged will not be included in the unofficial count on election night," the bureau's director, Bethany Salzarulo, said in a statement. "A decision on the disposition of those ballots will occur during a Board of Elections hearing."

Residents can return voted mail ballots until 8 p.m. Tuesday at the bureau's office, 1601 Ritner Highway, Suite 201, Carlisle.

Mail-in ballot to in-person voting

For voters who requested and received a mail-in ballot but now find themselves wanting to vote at the polling place instead, they can still vote at their precinct today.

Voters should bring their mail-in ballot with them and surrender it to the poll workers so they can vote in-person.

If you cannot find the ballot or the ballot has been damaged, you can still vote by provisional ballot at the polling precinct. Just explain the situation and ask the poll workers for a provisional ballot. The Cumberland County Bureau of Elections will sort out the vote after polls close to ensure no one has accidentally voted twice.

Photo identification for first-time voters

While those who have voted in their precincts before will not have to show identification, those who are voting for the first time or are new to their precinct will have to show acceptable photo or nonphoto identification in order to vote.

Acceptable photo identification are a valid Pennsylvania driver's license or PennDOT-issued ID card, ID issued by any Pennsylvania state agency, U.S. passport, U.S. Armed Forces ID, a student ID or employee ID.

Acceptable nonphoto identification, which must include a voter's name and address, include voter ID cards issued by the county, nonphoto ID issued by a state or U.S. government agency, firearm permit, current bank statement, current utility bill, current paycheck or government paycheck.

Polling precincts open

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today for the election. For a list of this year's county polling places,.

In addition to the polling precincts, the Cumberland County Bureau of Elections will also be open through 8 p.m. for those who want to drop off their mail-in ballots. The office is located at 1601 Ritner Highway, Suite 201, Carlisle.

For those who have yet to vote in the Nov. 5 election, you can prepare for Election Day – and likely the long lines – with The Sentinel's Election Preview . Also know who's on the ballot ahead of time with a look at who is running this fall.

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