WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County officials are reviewing more than 12,000 provisional ballots following a poll book error that omitted many third-party voters during Tuesday’s General Election, according to an update released by Chester County Voter Services.
The issue, which prompted thousands of voters to cast provisional ballots, is now under investigation. County officials said the total number of provisional ballots received is higher than those recorded during recent presidential elections.
Under Pennsylvania law, the Election Board cannot begin the official canvassing process until the third day after the election—Friday, November 7. However, Voter Services staff have already begun research and organizational work to prepare for the review. The department plans to operate daily, including through the weekend and Veterans Day, until every ballot is processed.
The provisional ballot review and credit process will take place at the Chester County Government Services Center on West Market Street in West Chester, beginning around 8:30 a.m. and running up to 12 hours per day. The sessions are open to the public but subject to capacity limits, with priority given to individuals authorized under the Pennsylvania Election Code.
Officials confirmed that provisional ballots were available throughout Election Day at all 230 precincts, though some locations briefly ran out of envelopes—not ballots. Replacement materials were quickly supplied.
Chester County Voter Services stated that a preliminary review into the poll book error is already underway, with a full investigation set to follow once all votes have been certified. “Our goal is to understand what happened and why, identify any points of failure, and take corrective action to make sure that Chester County voters are never again affected by such an issue,” the department said.
Voters who cast provisional ballots can track their status through the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Provisional Ballot Search tool, available via the Chester County Voter Services website at chesco.org/elections.
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