Chester County Election Officials Count Provisional Ballots Today

WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County election officials today will begin reviewing provisional ballots and computing final vote tallies in the May primary.

The primary election included the candidates for governor, and U.S. Senate and House seats.

Provisional ballots are ballots issued because election workers questioned the voter's eligibility.

The ballots could questioned for these reasons:

• Your name was not in the poll books.
• Your eligibility was challenged.
• There is a court order regarding your eligibility to vote.
• You are did not vote in the correct precinct.

To ensure transparency, any mail-in ballots deemed questionable were also placed on legal hold and examined at pre-set times so that solicitors from the major political parties, and candidates, could be present to work together to make sure all sides agreed on each ballot’s eligibility, the commissioners said in a news release.

County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell; and Michelle Kichline thanked the staff who helped count the ballots 24/7 until complete.

The commissioners also thanked Voter Services Director Karen Barsoum for her incredible level of dedication and for personally training not only her staff but all our poll workers.

"After watching how seamlessly this process ran, Chester County residents should feel confidence in how our county manages elections as we look ahead to November," the commissioner said in the statement issued today.