Philadelphia election chief under fire for 'knowingly' deceiving voters

26 October 2022

A top-ranking election official in Philadelphia is facing deep scrutiny for deceiving voters in wake of critical upcoming elections.

In a report published by The Philadelphia Inquirer, reporters Jonathan Lai, Chris Brennan, and Anna Orso detailed how Philadelphia Commissioner Lisa Deeley "knowingly misled voters multiple times this month when they said adding special elections for City Council seats to the November ballot did not delay mail ballots being sent to voters."

Since the state is preparing for key elections, including races for governor and U.S. Senate, voters have been eager to receive and return their mail-in ballots.

The news outlet also reports that Philadelphia was on schedule to have ballots mailed out on the first legal date the state allows. However, that timeline has changed two times already — delays Deeley's office recently acknowledged.

In an effort to explain the matter, the reporters noted that Deeley's office began incorporating what appears to be stall tactics.

"As officials received some blowback from Democrats for the delays, Deeley and her office began to spin a new narrative, contradicting facts that it’s her job to know as chair of the city’s elections board — facts she herself acknowledges when pressed," they wrote. "Deeley’s statements denying a delay were demonstrably untrue; she and her office made them multiple times; and she clearly knew the truth at the time, as she gave accurate answers when pressed."

The writers also explained the potential long-term effects of Deeley's actions. "Deeley’s obfuscation could further erode trust as growing elements of the Republican Party are seeking to undermine election results — especially by attacking Philadelphia," they wrote

Amid growing concerns about the delays, Deeley's office has released a statement explaining the matter. On Tuesday, October 25, her office, per the news outlet, "denied any dishonesty and emphasized that ballots went out at about the same time as in prior elections since the expansion of mail voting in 2020."

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