Chester County adapted through mistakes, showing that the election system worked

On Dec. 5, the Chester County Board of Elections voted 2-1 to certify the results of the 2025 municipal election.

This election followed a serious countywide printing error that omitted approximately 75,000 unaffiliated and minor-party voters from the poll books. While the error understandably caused confusion and frustration, claims that voters were intentionally excluded, or that the election was compromised, are not supported by the facts.

Poll workers and county election staff responded quickly and professionally to mitigate the impact of the error and to avoid potential disenfranchisement. Provisional ballots were provided to affected voters, resulting in an unusually high number of these ballots being cast on Election Day, 12,300 (8.5% of Election Day voters) in total.

Postelection review showed that 87% of provisional ballots were properly completed and immediately counted without challenge.

The Chester County Republican Committee challenged the provisional ballot board’s recommendation to count more than 1,000 provisional ballots that had minor, inadvertent mistakes — such as envelopes missing a poll worker signature, envelopes missing a voter signature, or an unsealed secrecy envelope. At the provisional ballot hearing, challenged voters passionately demanded that their votes be counted, prompting the withdrawal of most of the challenges.

Ultimately, the board voted along party lines to count the remaining ballots with minor errors submitted by otherwise eligible voters. The board correctly set aside ballots that were voted by nonregistered people, voters who do not live in Chester County, or voters who did not provide the required proof of identification.

At the end of the process, the board had counted 96% of all provisional ballots cast, reflecting its correct and justified recognition that voters left off the poll books were forced to vote provisionally through no fault of their own, and should not be disenfranchised for minor paperwork mistakes.

There is no evidence ballots were improperly counted. No challenges to election outcomes. And no recount petitions filed.

The board also demonstrated a clear commitment to transparency by conducting the provisional ballot adjudication in public. Voters and advocacy organizations were able to observe the process firsthand and assess its integrity. We commend the board and election staff for their diligence, transparency, and professionalism under extraordinary circumstances.

While public concern over the error is understandable, calls for resignations or refusal to certify the election are misplaced.

There is no evidence that ballots were improperly counted. There were no challenges to the election outcomes. And there were no recount petitions filed.

Further, we are troubled by Commissioner Eric Roe’s decision to vote against certification despite his statutory duty to do so, as this undermines public confidence in elections without any evidence or factual basis.

To fully understand what happened, the county engaged a West Chester law firm to investigate the circumstances around the error, and the firm shared its report with Chester County on Dec. 19. The board has scheduled a public meeting for Tuesday at 7 p.m. to discuss the investigation’s results.

Chester County voters should continue to expect transparency and accountability. One topic at the meeting will be to clearly outline steps to prevent similar errors in the future. Voters should not get used to or expect the provisional ballot process to serve as a substitute for regular voting for eligible voters.

Elections administrators will sometimes make mistakes — these are human endeavors, after all — but they must be measured by their resilience in the face of challenges. Our shared goal should be to ensure there are systems in place to address errors when they arise and prevent them from happening again in ways that are transparent and reasonable.

In Chester County, election administrators and poll workers adapted under intense pressure, and ultimately, the board ensured eligible voters’ voices were heard. That response deserves recognition, and it demonstrates that, even under strain, the election system worked.

We will continue to advocate for stronger resiliency planning, transparency, and accountability, and encourage voters to join us in this effort.

Amy Widestrom is the executive director of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania. Marian Schneider is the former deputy secretary of state for elections and administration and a Chester County voter.