Chester County names Michele DiCaprio as new voter services director, following 2025 election controversy

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Chester County has tapped Michele DiCaprio as the new director of the Department of Voter Services, following months of controversy and the departure of a top election official.

DiCaprio, a West Chester resident, previously served as a foreign service officer with the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID. During her time as a diplomat, DiCaprio led a team focused on democracy, human rights and governance in Mozambique.

“Through her years of work on election operations and counterterrorism program evaluation, she has established a strong track record of developing high-performing teams, strengthening organizational effectiveness, and managing critical public-facing services,” Chester County Administrator Erik Walschburger said in a Wednesday press release.

DiCaprio holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Indiana University and a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. She will begin her new role on July 20.

“I look forward to working with the Voter Services team to ensure secure, accurate, and efficient elections for every voter in Chester County,” DiCaprio said in the release. “Elections are the foundation of our democracy, and I am committed to serving voters with integrity and transparency.”

A 2025 Election Day blunder led to the omission of more than 70,000 third-party voters from Chester County poll books. In January, an independent investigation determined the snafu was the result of “simple human error.”

However, Fleck Eckert Klein, the law firm behind the investigation, concluded the system was marred by inadequate training, safeguards, oversight and staffing challenges.

The firm also looked into accusations of micromanagement aimed at Karen Barsoum, the former voter services director. Still, angry constituents urged the county to hold Barsoum responsible.

In March, Barsoum resigned.

Deputy County Administrator Megan Moser said DiCaprio’s experience with “large-scale public programs” has prepared her for the “challenges of modern election administration.”