Reply #3: 100 Phantom Votes Found in One Precinct; DelCo Board of Elections Hinders Investigation

[Melissa G]

Press Release from Election Integrity

Election Integrity
100 Phantom Votes Found in One Precinct; DelCo Board of Elections Hinders Investigation

Stephanie Frank Singer

Media, Pennsylvania, Dec 11, 2006. Something was rotten in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on Election Day, November 7, 2006. According to the Numbered List of Voters in the precinct known as "Newtown 1" in the Philadelphia suburbs, 984 citizens arrived at the precinct to cast their votes. But the voting machines tallied 1089 ballots -- an overvote of 10%.

We don't know exactly what happened. It's clear that the next thing to check is the pollbook -- but the Delaware County Board of Elections has not responded to Election Integrity's week-old request to see the pollbook. And whatever the pollbook says, it won't explain how the Delaware County Board of Elections missed such a whopping discrepancy in their certification process.

We also don't know how many other precincts in Delaware County have similar problems. We found this discrepancy while examining a mere 10 precincts (out of hundreds), in a routine check on Election Integrity's Election Verification Exit Poll. A request to see materials from other precincts has been referred to the County's Right to Know officer, who has stated that Right to Know office requires 30 calendar days to respond.

Documents such as pollbooks should be easily available for inspection during business hours, as required by the Election Code. Most Pennsylvania counties make such materials easily available. Delco's efforts to postpone our access to these basic documents is curious, even suspicious.

Contact Information for Delaware County Officials
Delaware County Right to Know Officer: Joyce Lamont, County Clerk, 610-891-4260.
Delaware County Board of Elections Chief Clerk: Loreen Hagan, 610-891-4673.

About Election Integrity

Election Integrity is a non-profit initiative whose mission is to verify the real-time accuracy of vote counting practices in political elections.

Website: http://www.electionintegrity.org

Election Integrity
Stephanie Singer
Co-Director
email: [e-mail]
phone: [phone] Marian Schneider, Esq.
phone: [phone]