1,300 Provisional Ballot Challenges Dropped In Chester County

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — Attorneys representing both political parties in Chester County agreed this morning to drop challenges to 1,300 provisional ballots, acknowledging that the county's Voter Services had acted with transparency and diligence in examining the ballots.

Chester County commissioners this morning voted to accept the 1,300 provisional ballots after parties officially dropped their challenges in a livestreamed hearing. Both the Republican Party of Chester County and the Democratic Party of Chester County had their legal counsel present at the hearing.

The 1,300 votes may be counted as early as Nov. 16, the decision stated.

Chester County Voter Services took "extraordinary measures" toward contacting voters whose provisional ballots were in question, and all its steps were in compliance with voting laws and the transparency required for "free and fair elections," agreed both the Republican and Democratic parties of Chester County.

Chester County Solicitor Nicole R. Forzato read the statement in a Monday morning hearing to address the matter of provisional ballots cast in Chester County in the 2020 General Election. Political parties may challenge the recommendation of the county concerning individual provisional ballots.

Voter Services researched the 4,035 provisional ballots cast here, asking why the person voted provisionally and considering any issues that might disqualify the vote.

Reasons ballots were challenged, as read in the hearing, often related to omissions made by the voter; lack of a signature in one box, a date of birth missing, envelopes not signed, or an address section that was incomplete. Some addresses did not match the address Voter Services had on file. In some cases, envelopes were not signed by an election officer, a voter's signature did not appear to match the one on file, or a first-time voter did not have identification.

There was a case of a registered voter who went to the wrong polling place, the solicitor reported.

Chester County Voter Services "took steps necessary to contact voters" in these cases, the parties agreed.

The Trump campaign has filed a lawsuit claiming that mail-in ballots that were not correctly completed were tampered with and those voters given a chance to correct their ballots, but only in heavily Democratic areas.

The lawsuit that seeks to prevent that Pennsylvania from certifying its election results, names elections officers in seven Pennsylvania counties, including Chester County, as well as Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar.

The lawsuit offers no particular incidences of its allegations concerning that handling of ballots. The conclusion in today's hearing was that county elections officials were diligent and transparent in their efforts handling provisional ballots, addressing issues, and contacting voters. Chester County's Republican Party agreed to this in the hearing.

Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump soundly in Chester County. Biden's lead at last update was a full 17 percentage points; Biden had 57 percent of Chesco's vote and Trump 40 percent.

The Trump campaign lawsuit not only asks that the counties accused be prohibited from certifying the results of the General Election, but it sues for the plaintiff — Donald J. Trump for President — to receive payment of "reasonable costs and expenses of this action, including attorneys' fees," paid by the defendants.

Neighboring Montgomery and Delaware counties were also named in the lawsuit. Philadelphia, Allegheny, Centre, and Northampton counties are named in the suit as well.