Texas officials shoot down Trump's claims about 'vote flipping' at the polls

Republican Donald Trump tweeted early Thursday morning that he is getting "a lot of call-ins about vote flipping at the voting booths in Texas."

"What is going on?" Trump asked in his tweet.

The Republican nominee and real estate mogul was likely referring to debunked reports that voting machines in Texas are changing votes for president on straight-ticket ballots from Trump to Hillary Clinton.

Those reports — which originated in Tarrant County, according to Snopes — have since been debunked. Election officials have said repeatedly that any "vote flipping" is caused not by broken machines, but user error.

"Reports are not flooding in from across Texas about vote switching, and most anecdotes are identical with localities changed," Snopes, a website that fact checks Internet and urban rumors, wrote in a post on Wednesday.

Frank Phillips, the election administrator for Tarrant County, said on Monday that the claims of vote flipping didn't check out. When reports have come in of this nature in the past, Phillips said it has been user error.

“Typically, we’ve found it’s voter error with the equipment,” Phillips told WFAA. “Sometimes they vote straight party and then click on other candidates ... or do something with the wheel. There is not an issue with the equipment.”

According to The Dallas Morning News, election officials encourage voters to double-check their ballot before voting. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made a similar urge on Facebook earlier this week.

"Make sure all of your selections are correct before hitting the button to cast a ballot," Abbott wrote in his Facebook post.

Early voting continues through Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 8.

By Bobby Blanchard, The Texas Tribune