Chester PA Poll Books Missing 75,000 Voters On Election Day

Chester County, Pennsylvania, is facing a significant issue on Election Day as approximately 75,000 registered voters are missing from the county's polling books. This discrepancy affects independent and unaffiliated voters, who will now need to cast provisional ballots. Registered Republicans and Democrats are still listed, but the absence of these voters raises concerns about the electoral process in the county.

Chester County Voter Services has acknowledged the problem, stating on their website, "We are working to get supplemental poll books to every polling place. Until that time, any registered voter who is not listed in the pollbook can vote provisionally." However, the use of two separate poll books at polling places complicates the reconciliation of voter turnout and ballots cast at the end of the day.

In Pennsylvania, voters are required to show identification only the first time they vote at a new polling place. After that, they sign next to their last year's signature in the poll book. In this case, the independent and unaffiliated voters do not appear in the poll books at all, leading to confusion and potential disenfranchisement.

The cause of this oversight remains unclear, with speculation that election workers may have mistakenly used a primary poll book for the general election. In Pennsylvania, only registered Republicans and Democrats participate in primary elections, while independent and unaffiliated voters are eligible to vote in general elections. Therefore, their names should have been included in the current poll books.

Chester County leans Democratic, with 158,475 registered Democrats compared to 152,085 registered Republicans, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of State as of November 3. The county has a total of 385,575 registered voters, including 75,015 who are members of smaller parties or unaffiliated. The absence of these independent voters could impact the election results.

The Chester County GOP has raised alarms about the situation, tweeting, "We have been made aware that Independent voters were not included in the poll books countywide today, and we have escalated this issue through our Solicitor to the highest levels. We understand Independent voters can vote provisionally until…" This statement highlights the urgency of addressing the issue to ensure all eligible voters can participate in the election.

In addition to statewide retention votes for three state Supreme Court justices, voters in Chester County are also casting ballots for local positions, including a county coroner and school board members. The county's election officials are working diligently to rectify the situation by providing supplemental poll books to polling places.

As the day progresses, the focus remains on ensuring that all voters, particularly those affected by the missing names, are able to exercise their right to vote without further complications. The outcome of this election could hinge on the participation of independent voters, making the resolution of this issue critical for the integrity of the electoral process in Chester County.