CHESCO, Pa. — The Chester County Board of Elections voted Dec. 5 to certify the official results of the Nov. 4 municipal election while announcing an independent investigation into an Election Day poll‑book error that left some unaffiliated voters off precinct lists.

David Beierman, introduced at the meeting as CEO for Chester County, acknowledged “a serious error” in the county’s poll‑book production and said the county has hired Westchester‑based law firm Fleck, Eckert, Klein & McGarry to conduct an independent review. Megan Moser, the county’s chief experience officer, said the firm will interview staff, review communications and examine the technical production process; findings are due Dec. 19 and the board plans a public meeting in January to discuss the report and next steps.

The board passed resolution BOE 9 25 to certify the municipal election after a motion and second. The certification was approved in a recorded voice vote; two commissioners voted in favor and one opposed. Commissioner Eric Rowe said he would vote against certification, saying he had heard “dozens and dozens of stories” from voters and poll workers and that, because nearly 50 contests were decided by a single vote, he lacked “the confidence I need to cast an affirmative vote.”

Chair Josh Maxwell acknowledged mistakes, apologized to voters and poll workers for the disruption, and defended the voter‑services staff’s efforts to process an unusually large volume of provisional ballots. Maxwell said the investigation will seek to determine whether the cause was human error or systemic deficiency and to recommend fixes to prevent recurrence.

Megan Moser outlined the investigation’s three goals: identify primary causes and contributing factors of the poll‑book error, distinguish between human error and systemic deficiencies, and recommend improvements to oversight, accountability and transparency in election operations. Beierman and Moser told the board the law firm is reviewing staff interviews, electronic communications and the technical systems used to produce the poll books.

At the meeting, Director Karen Barsoom (introduced as Director of Photo Services) reviewed the county’s pre‑election timeline and provided vote totals and turnout figures: 385,849 registered voters, 196,724 total ballots cast, turnout 50.98 percent, 132,026 in‑person votes, 12,335 provisional ballots and 52,363 successful mail‑in ballots. Barsoom described reconciliation steps and said that a large volume of provisionals required staff to scan tens of thousands of envelopes and barcodes during post‑election processing.

Public comment at the meeting was lengthy and sharply divided. Raffy Terzian, chair of the Chester County Republican Committee, called Nov. 4 “a complete debacle” and urged a broader, multilateral investigation rather than a county‑commissioned law firm. Other speakers described precincts that ran low on provisional supplies, inconsistent communications to poll workers, and voters who were asked to sign alternative lists when their names did not appear in delivered poll books. Several speakers accused the board of disenfranchising voters; others defended the county’s efforts to get ballots counted and warned against withholding certification, saying that failure to certify would itself disenfranchise most voters.

Colleen Friends, county council solicitor, advised the board that Pennsylvania law generally makes certification a mandatory duty of a board of elections and identified two narrow statutory exceptions that did not apply in this case (a timely recount petition or more votes than voters in a precinct). Friends’ legal guidance factored into the board’s decision to proceed with certification despite ongoing public criticism.

Beierman said the outside law firm’s findings are due Dec. 19; the board will review those findings internally and hold a public meeting in January to present results and solicit public feedback. The county disclosed the investigation will cost no more than $35,000 and will be paid from the voter‑services budget.

The board adjourned after an extended period of public comment and additional requests for federal or forensic review from some members of the public. The board’s formal action — resolution BOE 9 25 certifying the Nov. 4 municipal results — was recorded as passed.