Concerns over the counting of ballots in key swing states as well as fraud claims have begun to snowball in the final hours before polls close on election night.
As attention pivots from pushing voters to the polls to watching the results of Election Day, several problems have cropped up in key swing states, with extensions of voting times due to a series of threats that authorities have said are noncredible.
The FBI is investigating such threats in states including Michigan, Wisconsin, in addition to Georgia, according to NBC News.
The Peach State received several threats during the day and at least seven more in the evening. Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said the threats mean that roughly 10 polling stations throughout the state will stay open late.
“It’s probably in that 10 number, plus or minus … and typically, it’s about 20 to 40 minutes” for time extensions, Raffensperger said.
Some localities like Milwaukee are also reporting that some 30,000 ballots will need to be recounted due to a human error. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has begun revving up claims that there is “cheating” happening in Philadelphia, which local officials are disputing.
Here are the problems, delays, and early claims of election fraud heading into election night.
Milwaukee to recount 30,000 ballots
Milwaukee, a closely watched city in the swing state of Wisconsin, could report results later than anticipated because of a tabulation error election officials said occurred on Tuesday.
Voting tabulators were not properly closed, and, as a result, election workers will recount about 31,000 ballots, city spokesman Jeff Fleming told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“It’s just out of an abundance of caution. We have no reason to believe that there was any compromise to any of the machines,” Fleming said.
Wisconsin is one of only a few states that does not conduct pre-canvassing, meaning election officials cannot begin counting mail-in ballots until Election Day.
In a Facebook post, the city’s elections commission reminded voters that tabulators are “not connected to Wi-Fi.”
Trump claims he’s hearing about ‘massive CHEATING’ in Philadelphia
Trump took to Truth Social hours ahead of polls closing in Philadelphia to claim he was hearing rumors about voter fraud.
“A lot of talk about massive CHEATING in Philadelphia,” Trump wrote. “Law Enforcement coming!!!”
It was not immediately clear what prompted Trump’s remark, and his campaign and a Republican National Committee spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein quickly shot down Trump’s comment, saying in a post on X that there was “absolutely no truth” to it.
There is absolutely no truth to this allegation. It is yet another example of disinformation. Voting in Philadelphia has been safe and secure. pic.twitter.com/wMiPnAgO17
— Seth Bluestein (@SethBluestein) November 5, 2024
Philadelphia is a heavily Democratic and populous city in Pennsylvania, a state both campaigns have widely viewed as a must-win.
In a second post on Truth Social, Trump also alluded to concerns with Detroit but provided no other details.
Tensions rise in Pennsylvania county after judge planned to hand-count ballots
A Washington Township election judge was ordered on Tuesday evening to back off of his plans to hand-count ballots after an election director for Fayette County said that would violate state law.
The petition was filed Tuesday after The Fayette County Bureau of Elections said that Washington Township Judge of Election, Vincent Manetta, told workers that he would count the votes by hand after the polls closed.
Update: A judge has ordered the Washington Township election judge to comply with his duties under state law, which means no hand-count of ballots. If he refuses, court directs the sheriff’s office to go in and escort out a poll worker and the election materials pic.twitter.com/JLYdNQYz4o
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) November 5, 2024
A judge in the Court of Common Pleas of Fayette County ordered Manetta on Tuesday evening to comply with his duties under state law, which means ceasing any plans to hand-count ballots.
2024 ELECTIONS LIVE UPDATES: LATEST NEWS ON THE TRUMP-HARRIS PRESIDENTIAL RACE
If Manetta refuses and begins a hand count of votes, the judge said the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office should move in and escort out a poll worker and the election materials from the Washington Township precinct to the Fayette County Election Bureau.
This is a developing story and will be updated.