In New Mexico, a Republican congressional candidate, Yvette Herrell, sought to have the police

seize 8,000 absentee ballots but cited no evidence of suspected fraud. A judge in Florida rejected
efforts by the Republican Senate candidate, Gov. Rick Scott, to impound voting machines, and the
authorities declined to investigate claims of fraud, saying they had no evidence of it.

And in Arizona, as the counting of mail-in ballots delivered a victory for the Democratic Senate
candidate, Kyrsten Sinema, the state Republican Party leader lashed out at the elections official in
Maricopa County, a Democrat, declaring, “Such a man cannot be trusted to administer elections.”

President Trump fanned the flames of distrust with tweets questioning votes in favor of
Democrats in several states. As the counting of ballots continued in Arizona, Mr. Trump tweeted:
“Just out — in Arizona, SIGNATURES DON’T MATCH. Electoral corruption — Call for a new
Election?”

Elections experts said that the process, while hobbled by vulnerabilities, was actually more
orderly than one might glean from the partisan posturing, and that it had certainly improved
since the 2000 presidential vote. Nationwide, voting equipment was largely more reliable,
registration lists more accurate and election administrators better trained, they said.

Phil Hofmann voting in Medina, N.D. Malfunctioning equipment, ballot shortages and
registration issues were reported across the United States.
Hilary Swift for The New York Times