WEST CHESTER, PA — The Chester County Board of Elections has outlined a timeline for its investigation into the Election Day poll book error that excluded more than 75,000 third-party voters from precinct records on November 4. The Board pledged full transparency and accountability as it works to restore confidence in the election process.
County CEO David Byerman said the administration has already begun preserving all relevant materials and coordinating with the Pennsylvania Department of State to determine what assistance it can provide. “We identified the key questions that must be addressed through the investigation and presented the Board of Elections with several options for how the review can best proceed,” Byerman said.
According to the county’s schedule, the independent firm or expert leading the investigation will be announced on November 17, with the scope, deadlines, and deliverables made public the same day. An update on the investigation process will follow during the Board of Elections meeting on November 21.
Byerman confirmed the formal investigation will begin after all votes have been counted to ensure it does not interfere with the certification process. The final report and recommendations are expected to be presented publicly at a Board of Elections meeting in December or January. That meeting will be held in the evening to encourage community participation.
The issue arose early on Election Day when Chester County Voter Services discovered that the poll books at all 230 precincts were missing 75,076 voters registered as Independent, Libertarian, “No Affiliation,” or “Non-Partisan.” Election officials directed poll workers to issue provisional ballots to affected voters until corrected poll books could be delivered.
A county judge later approved extending voting hours from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. to accommodate impacted voters. By the end of Election Day, more than 12,100 provisional ballots had been cast—most linked to the poll book error.
As of November 9, officials had reviewed more than 4,300 provisional ballots, with tabulation continuing on a rolling basis. Daily updates will be provided until the review is complete.
The Board emphasized that the upcoming investigation aims not only to determine how the error occurred but also to strengthen election administration and voter confidence ahead of future elections.
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