Sporadic voting problems reported nationwide

WASHINGTON -- Sporadic problems were reported yesterday at polling places around the country, many in Pennsylvania, including a confrontation involving Republican inspectors over access to some polls and a voting machine that lit up for Republican Mitt Romney even when a voter pressed the button for President Barack Obama.

One Florida elections office mistakenly told voters in robocalls the election was today.

Although most of the complaints were about extremely long lines, the Election Protection coalition of civil rights and voting access groups said they also got more serious calls among more than 69,000 on a toll-free voter protection hotline.

"The calls have been hot and heavy all day long," said Barbara Arnwine, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

In Philadelphia, the Republican Party said 75 legally credentialed voting inspectors were blocked from polling places in the heavily Democratic city, prompting the GOP to obtain a court order providing them access. Local prosecutors were also looking into the reports. Democratic Party officials did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

In central Pennsylvania, officials said the voting machine that switched a person's vote from Obama to Romney was recalibrated and returned to service.

Pennsylvania Department of State spokesman Ron Ruman said the Perry County voter told elections officials of the problem after trying to cast his ballot yesterday. Video of what Ruman called a "momentary glitch" was widely viewed on YouTube.

Pennsylvania was also the scene of what a state Common Cause official called "widespread" confusion over voter ID requirements.