Guy Ciarrocchi: Chester County government fails again

They had one job. One job. And Chester County Government blew it — big time. Again.

We will not know the final vote count in Chesco for days — maybe not until next week. And this might also mean that Pennsylvanians won’t know the results for judicial races for days or longer — courtesy of Chester County’s incompetence. 

Why? Because the Voter Services Office delivered the wrong voter rolls — to every single polling place in the entire county. From Wayne to Oxford. From Kennett Square to Honey Brook.

The County’s Voter Services Office sent out the primary election voter rolls, not the general election voter rolls. So the voter rolls contained only the registered Democrats and Republicans, not the Independents, non-partisans or any third party voters.

There were 75,000 voters were missing from the election rolls. That’s more missing voters than people living in over half of the counties in our state. Tens of thousands of Chesco voters went to their polling place — in a school gym, Knights of Columbus, or fire hall — and walked up to the folding table to be told by volunteers that their name wasn’t “in the book.” 

They were given “provisional” ballots. They’re delivered to the county and put in separate, green envelopes and put in a special box. They are not even looked at until mail-in, absentee, military, and live/election day ballots are counted. Sometimes, they aren’t even counted — unless an election is close.

In theory, the counting of provisionals could begin on Friday. But even then, given the volume, counting will continue until Monday — or beyond. Assuming they’re counted.

Unfortunately, late results are not uncommon for Chesco. Inexplicably, Chester is among the last counties to finalize its election results almost every year. Now, it’s all but certain to be last.

And, Chesco’s “oops” could impact all Pennsylvanians — with three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices running for retention and two statewide judicial races. And across Chesco literally hundreds of races for school board, supervisor, mayors, borough councils, and auditors could have to wait a week or more for results. And if any requires a “recount,” it could be almost Thanksgiving until the count, recount, and certification.

The wealthiest county in our state, with the highest number of college graduates, with the highest number of post graduate degrees, and year after year Chesco is among the last of 67 counties to report results. Why? And why do voters put up with it?

Voter Services has one job to do. And they failed. And being embarrassed, overwhelmed or clueless, they were slow to ask anyone for help — from Harrisburg, from Delco, from anyone.

The Director of Voter Services and is managed by the newly created “Chief Experience Officer,” making over $200K in salary and benefits. Wonder if our taxpayer funded CXO is going to survey the 75,000 voters left off the rolls to ask them: “What could we do to make your experience more enjoyable?”

Of course, we all make mistakes. But this is like the Mummers forgetting the day of the parade. Or the Eagles flying to the Super Bowl, but only bringing the offense and leaving the defense behind in Philly.

And it’s actually a worse look for the Democratic Commissioners — the ones who run the county — because they hired all of these folks. They’ve had quite a run of mistakes, expensive partisan patronage, and incompetence. Having taken control of the county, they now feel unbeatable.

Their failures read like a “dishonorable mention” list.

Ordering $20 million of Covid tests that were unused. Forgetting to schedule the election for County Prothonotary. A County Treasurer who appears to spend most of her time running a side-hustle “managing” estates of the elderly — and collecting huge fees. Hiring a “CXO” as if the County were Disneyland, Amazon, or a casino. Hiring a former Democratic Party Chair as the County’s new CEO — making even more than the $200K CXO.

Oh, and this is the crowd that let double-murderer, illegal immigrant Danilo Cavalcante escape and run wild for days — and didn’t tell neighbors for hours. (Notice their pattern of protecting their images and not citizens) Recall that he had tried to escape — the same way — days earlier. And Chesco, again, had a prison-break this summer, but he fortunately got caught in the barbed wire.

And they raised county taxes over thirteen percent while growing discretionary government spending by 40 percent — patronage costs big bucks.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. And leads to bigger, expensive, more ideologically-driven government. They focus more and more on virtue-signaling, not governing or kitchen-table issues.

Chesco Dems feel unbeatable. Until they lose, until Commissioner Eric Roe (the lone GOP fighter) gets help, Chesco government will get bigger, more expensive, more about virtue-signaling, and less and less focused on solving problems.

Unaccountability will unfortunately continue. Until voters show them that they’re not unbeatable.

Guy Ciarrocchi writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. A political commentator and public policy advocate, follow Guy at @PaSuburbsGuy.