RULING WILL STRENGTHEN VOTING PROCESS IN ELECTIONS
Judge Sets Hearing for Remaining Issues
St. Louis, March 5, 2001 :The ACLU of Eastern Missouri is calling Monday night's order from Circuit Judge Robert H. Dierker a victory for St. Louis voters. The order prohibits election judges from turning away registered voters who can affirm that they live in the precinct served by that polling place. Hoping to avoid a replay of last November's Election Day problems, the ACLU of Eastern Missouri, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and Mound City Bar Association filed suit on behalf of ten registered voters and a class of similarly situated voters who were turned away from the polls in November.
'The class of voters protected by tonight's ruling are some of the very same people who were sent downtown to the Election Board office in November," said ACLU of Eastern Missouri Executive Director Matt LeMieux. 'Hopefully, this will alleviate some of the problems and keep some St. Louis voters from being disenfranchised.'
A hearing has been set by Judge Dierker to address some of the other concerns raised by the suit, including the lack of assistance at polling places for voters who need help, the absence of sample balloting machines at polling places and inadequate voting equipment.
'Our goal is to make sure that registered voters are given the proper means to cast their ballots,' added LeMieux. 'We believe tonight's ruling is a positive step in that direction.'