ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — A judge dismissed a lawsuit Friday that was filed over poll watchers at early voting locations in St. Charles County.
On Wednesday, Travis Heins, the District 7 committeeman for the St. Charles County Republican Central Committee, filed the suit against elections director Kurt Bahr, claiming he wasn't allowed to be a challenger or watcher during early voting at Element Church, a polling place in Wentzville. A judge on Friday dismissed the lawsuit.
Early voting was allowed to continue on Thursday despite the lawsuit. It continued again on Friday.
In Missouri, challengers observe the voting process and have the right to question peoples' eligibility to vote, while watchers ensure the accuracy of ballot counting. Other states have varying rules on their exact responsibilities.
Heins claimed he was denied by Bahr, who told him watchers are only for "counting" of ballots, which doesn't happen until election night.
Heins said that Bahr stated during an interview on the radio show "Mike Ferguson in the Morning" that ballot counting was already underway.
"When you vote early, your ballot when it goes into that tabulator, it's being counted," Bahr said during the broadcast.
Bahr said the words counting and tabulation are often used interchangeably.
"The ballot counters at a polling location do record or count a voter's ballot. The actual tabulation of an election happens election night at the election authority office. That is when the totals are counted for the entire election.
"For simplicity, when speaking to a large group, it is convenient to just use the word counting for both steps," Bahr said.
Bahr said he had no issue with Heins being present at the St. Charles County Election Authority on Nov. 5. Bahr told 5 On Your Side Heins is going to be a watcher on Election Day.
The county added an additional day of early voting due to high demand.
Early voting continues at two locations ahead of election day.
- Election Authority office (397 Turner Blvd, St. Peters)
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday, Nov. 4
Curbside voting available. - Element Church (100 Mall Parkway, Wentzville)
9 a.m.-3 p.m., Friday, Nov. 1 and Monday, Nov. 4
Curbside voting not available.
