Judge Accepts 14 of 61 Rejected Absentee Votes

Voters, who appealed the ruling of their absentee ballots being challenged and then thrown out in Marple Township's 2nd Ward, 2nd Precinct, will now have their votes counted following a judge's ruling. 

Court of Common Pleas Senior Judge Joseph P. Cronin Jr. ruled in favor of an appeal by 14 of the 61 voters who had their ballots thrown out by the Delaware County Bureau of Elections in a challenge hearing, according to the Delaware County Daily Times. 

Sixty-seven absentee ballots, which all came from Broomall Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at 50 Malin Road in Broomall, were challenged by Marple Tax Collector John Capuzzi Jr . and reviewed in a hearing by the Delaware County Bureau of Elections on Nov. 11.

Of those 67 ballots, only six were deemed valid, while 61 were deemed invalid and not counted, County Solicitor Mike Maddren said. 

On Tuesday, Cronin ruled that the 14 voters who appealed the challenge will have their ballots counted and included in the final tabulation, according to the Delco Times, but the remaining 47 votes that were thrown out will not be overturned because those voters were not included in the appeal.

Maddren said the Bureau of Elections did send a subpoena to representatives for the nursing home and no one appeared at the Nov. 11 hearing however no efforts were made to inform the actual voters of the hearing.

The Delaware County District Attorney's Special Prosecution Unit is still looking into allegations of voter fraud at the Broomall Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, according to philly.com.