Elections staff explains voter‑roll removals after public concerns about purges and dual registrations

Elections office staff told the Delaware County Board of Elections on Jan. 14 that routine maintenance of the voter rolls produced two separate counts: a December automated removal program identified 18,401 records eligible for cancellation after two federal election cycles of inactivity, and a Jan. 2 five‑year notice identified 2,369 additional voters with no activity for five years.

"This year, we ran it and ... identified 18,401 voters that have been inactive for two federal elections," Crystal Jackson, the elections office staffer overseeing voter registration processing, said. Jackson said the office sent the five‑year notices and began canceling records in accordance with state procedures; she added that canceled records are not reactivated — a new registration would be required.

Why it matters

Several public commenters at the meeting said they had identified voters who cast ballots in the November election but were later removed from the county's rolls. Those speakers urged the board to explain whether ballots from removed voters were improperly counted and whether the county had fulfilled its legal duties to challenge or refer improper ballots.

Public comments and staff response

- Nick Manganaro, who described himself as a "numbers guy," said he found roughly 600 people removed from the voter roll after voting in the previous general election and asked to meet with election data staff to reconcile the numbers. "I found almost 600 people who voted in the last general election and have been removed from the voter roll since then," Manganaro said during public comment.

- Laura Lewis said she had submitted a September 2024 letter identifying 10 individuals whose records appeared on Delaware County's public rolls and also in other states; she cited "Pennsylvania election code 25, PS 3146.2, and 3146.6" and referenced federal law language (as stated at the meeting) affecting ballot processing and accurate tabulation. She asked the board to publicly acknowledge any violations and outline corrective steps.

Elections office explanation

Jackson and Director Jim Allen explained the standard sequence and timing for registration maintenance. Jackson said the county ran the state‑provided removal program on Dec. 13, 2024, identifying 18,401 registrants who met the inactivity criteria tied to two federal election cycles. She said the county also ran the five‑year notice on Jan. 2, 2025, which identified 2,369 registrants with no activity going back to Jan. 2, 2020; those voters were moved to inactive status and received mailed notices.

Jackson said the office is processing a backlog of registration applications submitted around the Nov. 2024 deadline and that the county had processed more than 20,000 applications in the weeks after the election. She emphasized that a cancelled record would not be "reactivated" and that an individual who later files a registration form after a deadline would create a new record rather than revive a canceled one.

Legal and enforcement notes

Allen said that the county refers suspected incidents of double voting or voting in multiple jurisdictions to the district attorney. "In instances where we do find... someone has voted in more than one jurisdiction, we do and have referred those matters to the District Attorney's Office," Allen said, and cited a recent prosecution the county had aided.

What the board offered

Board members and staff encouraged speakers with specific name lists or data to submit them to elections staff for follow up, noting that data reconciliation and forensic review are time‑consuming and often require records from other states or jurisdictions. Jackson said the county mailed the five‑year notices and expected returns in the weeks following the meeting. The board did not adopt a new policy at the meeting; staff described current practices and asked to be allowed time to review and respond to detailed public submissions.

Selected quotes

"Those letters should start coming back this week..." Crystal Jackson, voter registration staff, on the five‑year notices mailed to registrants.

"If you have concerns, I think our team is very responsive. I appreciate that you would submit them," Jim Allen said to public commenters asking for data reconciliation.

Ending

The elections office asked members of the public with specific concerns or spreadsheets to submit them to staff for follow up. Board members said they would rely on the office and the district attorney for any formal investigations and encouraged transparency while noting legal limits on unilateral removals during the 90‑day period before a federal election.