ST. CHARLES, Mo. — A Republican committeeman has petitioned a court to halt early voting in Missouri’s third-largest county until provisions are made for “watchers” or “challengers” to monitor the polling activities.
Early voting remains in progress in St. Charles County as officials await a judicial ruling, according to the county’s elections director, Kurt Bahr, and Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. Polling sites in this Republican-friendly community near St. Louis were open Thursday, following Travis Allen Heins’ filing for an injunction a day earlier.
A court hearing is set for 9 a.m. on Friday. This presidential election marks the first time voters in Missouri can partake in no-excuse absentee voting.
State law allows each political party on the ballot to designate a “challenger” for every polling place on Election Day, and the same applies to absentee voting where challengers can observe the counting of ballots. Heins asserts in his petition that observers should have the right to watch ballots being processed, claiming that counting effectively starts once voters insert their ballots into a scanning machine.
Heins expressed through his petition that when election officials exclude a Challenger or Watcher, it jeopardizes the safety and transparency of the electoral process. The media attempted to reach Heins for comments, and he mentioned to a local publication that he has no concerns about potential fraud; rather, he simply wishes to ensure he can observe the process.
Bahr indicated that officials had anticipated around 2,500 daily votes during the two-week early voting period concluding Monday, though some days have seen turnout as high as 5,000 voters. St. Charles County has a population of approximately 420,000 residents.
Leaders from the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition voiced their concerns that the injunction could dissuade voters. Zebrina Looney, president of the St. Charles County NAACP and a coalition member, characterized the lawsuit as a tactic for voter suppression aimed at preventing people from participating in elections.