# VxScan Error Messages
VxScan is programmed to intuitively explain to a voter or poll worker problems that may occur with a ballot or the VxScan. The following is a list of potential error messages and the actions a voter or a poll worker should take to remedy the error.
| Error Message | Voter Action | Poll Worker Action | Log File Entry |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Ballot Scan Failed - There was a problem scanning your ballot. Please scan it again. | Remove the ballot and scan again. | If the ballot continues to be unread, spoil the ballot and issue a new one to the voter. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "rejecting"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will include "unknown" or "unreadable" in its message
|
| Official Ballot - The scanner is in test ballot mode. Official ballots may not be scanned. | Ask a poll worker for help. | Contact your election administrator, scanner is in test mode. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "rejecting"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will include "invalid\_test\_mode" in its message
|
| Test Ballot - The scanner is in official mode. Test ballots may not be scanned. | Ask a poll worker for help. | Issue the voter an official ballot. Contact your election administrator if you do not have official ballots. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "rejecting"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will include "invalid\_test\_mode" in its message
|
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Wrong Election - The scanner is configured for an election that does not match the ballot. | Ask a poll worker for help. | Verify the correct ballot was issued to the voter. Contact your election administrator for the correct ballots. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "rejecting"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will include "invalid\_ballot\_hash" in its message
|
| Wrong Precinct - The scanner is configured for a precinct that does not match the ballot. | Ask a poll worker for help. | Contact your election administrator for the correct ballots or to change the precinct on the VxScan. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "rejecting"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will include "invalid\_precinct" in its message
|
| Scanner Needs Cleaning - The ballot was not counted. Scan it again after cleaning. | Ask a poll worker for help. | Unseal and open the poll worker door, the access panel, and the scanner. Clean the glass and rollers with a microfiber cloth wetted with isopropyl alcohol. Close the scanner and all panels and reseal. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "rejecting"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will include "vertical\_streaks\_detected" in its message
|
| Ballot Scale Error - The ballot is printed at the wrong scale. Ballots must be printed full-scale. | Ask a poll worker for help. | Contact your election administrator for properly printed ballots. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "rejecting"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will include "invalid\_scale" in its message
|
| BMD Ballot | Ask a poll worker for help. | Secure BMD ballot for tabulation on VxCentralScan. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "rejecting"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will include "bmd\_ballot\_scanning\_disabled" in its message
|
| Scanner Error - The ballot was not counted. Please remove the ballot to continue. | Remove the ballot and scan again. | | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "rejecting"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will include details in its message
|
| Multiple Sheets Detected - Remove your ballot and insert one sheet at a time. | Remove the ballot sheets and insert one sheet at a time. | If the error repeats, contact your election administrator to review double sheet detection settings. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "double\_feed\_detected"
|
| Ballot Jammed - The ballot was not counted. | Ask a poll worker for help. | Clear the ballot jam from inside the ballot box and have the voter reinsert their ballot. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "jammed"
|
| Ballot Box Opening Blocked | Ask a poll worker for help. | Clear the ballot jam from inside the ballot. The jammed ballot was already counted and should not be rescanned. | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "jammed"
Preceding scanner-state-machine-event log will contain "outfeed\_blocked"
|
| Remove Your Ballot - Another ballot is being scanned. | Remove the ballot and wait for the previous ballot to be counted. | | eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "accepting.paperInFront" or "acceptingAfterReview\.paperInFront"
|
| Scanner Error - The ballot was not counted. Ask a poll worker to restart the scanner.\* | Ask a poll worker for help. | Reboot the scanner - insert the poll worker card, select Menu, and Power Down, then unplug and replug the scanner.
The scanner will reboot and scanning can resume.
If problems persist after restarting, ask your election official to contact VotingWorks support.
| eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "unrecoverableError"
|
| Card is Backwards | | Remove the smart card, turn it around, and insert it again. | eventId: auth-login
disposition: failure
reason: card\_error
|
| Invalid Card - Remove the card to continue. | | Contact your election administrator for a new poll worker card. | eventId: auth-login
disposition: failure
reason: Many possible values
|
| CVR Sync Required | Ask a poll worker for help. | Insert a poll worker card and then select *Sync CVRs* to sync CVRs to the USB drive. | eventId: export-cast-vote-records-init
message: "Exporting cast vote records that failed to sync..."
|
| Internal Connection Problem | Ask a poll worker for help. | Reboot the scanner - insert the poll worker card, select Menu, and Power Down, then unplug and replug the scanner.
If the error continues to display, contact your election administrator.
| eventId: scanner-state-machine-transition
message: Will include "disconnected"
OR
eventId: printer-status-changed
disposition: failure
|
| Something went wrong - Ask a poll worker to restart the scanner.\* | Ask a poll worker for help. | Reboot the scanner - insert the poll worker card, select Menu, and Power Down, then unplug and replug the scanner.
The scanner will reboot and scanning can resume.
If problems persist after restarting, ask your election official to contact VotingWorks support.
| eventId: unknown-error |
\*Error messages with an asterisk next to them correspond to unexpected error states where the cause is not immediately known. VotingWorks will likely ask for logs after the election to identify the cause and improve the product for future elections.
{% hint style="info" %}
VxScan's ballot box capacity is 3000 ballot sheets. If the ballot box reaches capacity, ballots should be removed and secured according to state law and rule.
{% endhint %}