WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. — In response to a lawsuit alleging concealment of the invalidation of certain mail-in ballots, officials in Washington County have decided to appoint a special counsel. The legal action challenges the transparency of the county’s election board during the latest voting session, where numerous ballots were reportedly dismissed due to minor errors by voters.
Ballot curing, the process allowing voters to correct errors on their mail-in ballots to ensure their votes count, varies significantly from state to state. In Pennsylvania, the responsibility to offer or withhold ballot curing services falls to individual counties, leading to a heterogeneous application of the law across the state.
According to sources, over 250 mail-in ballots were discounted in the most recent election in Washington County, primarily due to missing signatures or dates. The issue surfaced when a group of voters, backed by organizations including the NAACP, launched a lawsuit after the county unveiled a new policy on ballot curing.
Among those affected was Bruce Jacobs, a resident who discovered post-election that his vote was not counted. “I thought I had done everything correctly but apparently missed signing and dating the envelope,” Jacobs explained. His experience underscores the implications of the little-known policy changes on ordinary voters.
The lawsuit has received support from some local officials, including County Commissioner Larry Maggi, who expressed disappointment over the large number of uncounted votes. “It’s disheartening to see over 266 votes go uncounted. We are now facing a situation where a national issue has local ramifications and could burden our taxpayers with significant legal costs,” Maggi stated.
Commissioner Nick Sherman, however, defended the new policy, suggesting that it aligns with state guidelines and that the legal challenge it sparked was unnecessary. “This lawsuit seems frivolous. The state laws are clear. Just because other jurisdictions might interpret the rules differently doesn’t authorize us to follow suit,” Sherman remarked.
Sherman also emphasized that the policy was not politically motivated and urged voters who disagreed with current laws to lobby their representatives for change. According to state election codes, county boards are permitted to start processing ballots no earlier than 7 a.m. on election day, providing limited time for any form of notification or ballot curing.
In contrast, legal advocates argue there is still potential for counties to notify voters of errors. Vic Walczak, Legal Director for the Pennsylvania ACLU, pointed out that in other counties, many voters successfully correct their ballots. “We’ve seen in several jurisdictions where over half of the voters were able to amend their ballots and safeguard their votes,” said Walczak.
As this issue unfolds, it highlights the broader national debate over mail-in voting procedures and voter disenfranchisement. The outcome of the lawsuit and the actions taken by Washington County could set precedents affecting future electoral policies both locally and beyond.