Write-In Ballots Still Slated to be Counted on Nov. 21

The Chester County Department of Voter Services confirmed on Tuesday that the write-in votes for the race would start being counted on Monday, November 21.

“The earliest we would start is on Monday morning,” said Assistant Director of Voter Services Agnes O’Toole.  “There are still some other things we need to do first before we get to them.”

Write-in votes are counted alphabetically by race in Chester County so any West Chester race would be lower on the list.

O’Toole also said that two of the three tally sheets that had been reported missing had been found, and that the last one was expected to be found either later today or tomorrow.

“Those people working at the polls have a list of what documentation goes into what bag,” O’Toole said.  “Sometimes things go in the wrong bag.”

According to election law, those bags must be locked away and not opened for at least two days after the election. 

A tally sheet is a list of write-in candidates with the number of votes received literally tallied off next to their names.

Tally sheets are an unofficial tabulation, and the official counting will be done by hand under supervised conditions beginning next week.

There are no reports of any missing ballots.