NORRISTOWN, PA — In a unanimous decision on Thursday, the Montgomery County Board of Elections has certified the results of the January 16 North Penn Special Election, marking the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s first election of 2024.
The special election put a crucial question to voters within the North Penn School District: Should the district move its 9th graders to the North Penn High School Campus as part of an infrastructure improvement plan? The proposal was met with a high turnout of 18,821 ballots cast, with 7,943 in favor and 10,876 opposed.
A noteworthy aspect of this election was the inclusion of 75 mail-in and absentee ballots that had been misdated by voters. These ballots, which either carried the wrong year “2023” instead of “2024” or lacked a year altogether on their outer envelopes, were approved for inclusion at a January 23 Board of Elections meeting.
Despite the lack of a clear directive from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court regarding mail-in ballots marked with an incorrect year, the County Board of Elections decided to count these votes. All these ballots were distributed by Montgomery County’s Office of Voter Services and returned by voters before the election day deadline on January 16, 2024.
Neil Makhija, Montgomery County Commissioner and Chair of the Board of Elections, expressed the board’s commitment to protecting voting rights. “We decided in absence of clear directive from courts that we must err on the side of protecting voting rights,” Makhija said. “This is an important message to Montgomery County residents – that in the face of an attack on voting rights, we will protect every vote.”
The decision underscores the ongoing debate around voting rights, particularly in the context of mail-in and absentee voting, which have become more prevalent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also highlights the necessity for clearer guidelines from state courts to ensure that all votes are counted accurately, regardless of minor errors.
As Montgomery County moves forward in 2024, its commitment to inclusive voting practices, as demonstrated in this special election, will continue to shape its approach to elections. As Makhija’s statement suggests, ensuring every resident’s vote counts, despite minor errors, is a priority for the county, setting a precedent for future elections.
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