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Delaware County Board of Elections certifies May 20, 2025 primary after return-board review
Summary
The Delaware County Board of Elections voted unanimously to certify the results of the May 20, 2025 municipal primary after return-board members reported that hand counts and paperwork reconciliations matched scanner totals; the board also approved two sets of minutes and discussed precinct consolidations and procedural changes for November.
The Delaware County Board of Elections voted unanimously Wednesday to certify the results of the May 20, 2025 municipal primary after members of the county return board reported that hand recounts and paperwork reconciled with scanner totals.
The certification covers the May 20 primary, including a special midterm contest in several local school and borough jurisdictions, and the board also approved petitions to accumulate write-in votes. "The hand counts verified the scanner counts in all the contests," Regina Shearer, a member of the county return board, told the board during the meeting.
Why it matters: certification finalizes the official tabulation of the primary and begins post-election legal and administrative steps ahead of the November municipal election. The board used return-board observations and a two-percent hand recount of 17 randomly selected precincts to confirm results before voting to certify.
The meeting opened with public comment from Carys Coker of Concord Township, who said legal notices required by the Department of State schedule for return-board events had not been published and urged the board to ensure full compliance. "Pennsylvania law stipulates that upon completion of the computation and canvassing, the board shall tabulate the figures for the entire county and sign, announce, and attest the same," Coker said. County staff and board members discussed the statute's wording and the roles of county clerks and return-board participants in the certification process.
Return-board members James Zigglehofer and Regina Shearer described the board's review process, which began May 23, three days after the primary. They said return-board teams compared the number of ballots supplied to each precinct with ballots used and unused, reviewed return sheets and tapes, and conducted a hand recount of 17 randomly selected precincts. "This election was beyond a doubt the easiest to get through because we had what we needed and we checked it," Zigglehofer said. Both members reported no discrepancies that suggested fraud; Shearer said the hand counts matched scanner tallies.
Election Director Jim Allen told the board staff had ordered ballots sufficient for approximately 50% turnout in each precinct and that all precincts reviewed had unused ballots. Allen read multiple comments from poll workers praising clearer opening and closing instructions, improved return sheets and faster drop-off procedures; he noted countywide Election Day reporting was completed by 11:30 p.m., a new record.
The board also reviewed and approved minutes for meetings on Oct. 22, 2024, and Nov. 25, 2024; one member who had not attended those meetings abstained from that vote. After certification, Allen described next steps for the fall: notifying more than 100 candidates who filed accumulation petitions or who had enough valid votes to qualify for the ballot, pursuing precinct consolidations that were already under consideration, and piloting a lighter process for returning poll pads to speed voter-history uploads. "We're going to rip off that Band-Aid this summer and take care of the lion's share of what we think are the low-hanging fruit," Allen said about planned consolidations.
Board members and staff flagged operational issues and follow-ups rather than policy changes at the meeting. They noted low turnout in the primary (about 16 percent in some areas), cited precincts with as few as 10 or 14 ballots cast among the randomly selected sample, and asked staff to proceed with planned consolidation proposals with the Department of State. Allen also cautioned candidates and parties to educate voters about "vote for" contests after return-board members observed under-voting in several multi-seat races.
The meeting ended with the board signing certification documents in open session and adjourning. The board said it will publish public notices for upcoming hearings and hearings tied to any consolidation actions and follow the multi-step court and public-hearing process required for precinct boundary changes.
