Philly election employee: 'No matter how many times you ask questions' the 'orange guy still lost'

A Philadelphia election employee said Friday that "no matter how many times you ask questions" about the mail-in vote counting procedures in the county, the "orange guy still lost." 

Just the News has been contacting counties about a guidance issued by Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar on Oct. 21 about permitting individuals with rejected mail-in ballots to vote via a provisional ballot. When Just the News called the Philadelphia Board of Elections and asked for the director, we were connected to the Philadelphia City Commissioners office and advised to ask for the director there.

The official in the commissioners' office who answered the phone said the director was working at the Pennsylvania Convention Center during the ballot count, which is still taking place. The official said he could answer our questions.

When asked if the county followed the secretary of state's guidance or rejected it, he said the city followed the guidance.

"All votes can get counted," said the official, who identified himself as Michael Marshall. "The provisional would count and the other one would be voided."

When asked if Philadelphia County's system would detect if someone voted successfully by mail and tried to vote in-person as well, he said the poll book would say, "mail-in ballot" and a voter would have to remit it to the Board of Elections before that person would be allowed to vote in-person on Election Day.

"By the way, no matter how many times you ask questions at all, your buddy, the orange guy, still lost. Have a good day," he said and hung up.

Philadelphia County is one of the counties still in the process of counting votes. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is leading President Trump by about 15,000 votes in Pennsylvania.