Chester County readies for Nov. 4 municipal election; Voter Services details ballots, cures and operations

Chester County Voter Services told the Board of Elections on Oct. 31 that the county is prepared for the Nov. 4 municipal primary and urged voters with incomplete mail ballots to use the notice‑to‑cure process before the cutoff.

Director of Voter Services Karen Barsoum said polls and drop boxes will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 4. "Our total number of registered voters are 385,849," she said, noting about a 3,700 increase since the spring primary. Voter Services mailed 61,257 ballots; as of the previous day about 38,000 of those had been returned.

The county runs a notice‑to‑cure system for ballots with potential deficiencies. Barsoum explained that the statewide SHORE system (Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors) can notify a voter by email when an email address is available; Voter Services also sends a notice letter. "On yesterday's list that we submitted to the parties, we had around 250 voters that still have a potential deficiency," Barsoum said.

Voters with a notice to cure may appear in person at the Chester County Voter Services ballot services office at 601 West Towne Road, Suite 171, to fix deficiencies; the last day to cure is Monday, Nov. 3 at 4:30 p.m. Barsoum also said there is a designated‑agent process for voters who need ADA accommodations.

Barsoum pointed listeners to chesco.org/elections for specimen ballots, polling‑place lookups and other notices, and said the county will activate its Emergency Operations Center at 7 a.m. on election day to coordinate with county and state partners, including the district attorney's office, the sheriff's office and Pennsylvania State Police.

The office also maintains an identification program for election staff and volunteers so voters and poll workers can see official roles on lanyards and badges, Barsoum said. She said campaign sign recycling events will run Nov. 4–16 at expanded locations and that all public notices about pre‑canvassing and tabulation are posted on the county website.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve minutes of Oct. 3, 2025 — passed (voice vote). - BOE 0725: appoint poll workers for the 2025 municipal election — passed (voice vote). - BOE 825: appoint return board members for computation of the general election — passed (voice vote).

The board made each motion by voice and recorded "aye" with no recorded opposition. No individual roll‑call vote was provided in the meeting record.