1. As used in this section, the term “participant” means a Missouri youth election participant.

2. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, any person more than fifteen years of age but less than eighteen years of age who is in full-time attendance in a school of this state may aid and assist any election judge or election authority authorized or appointed pursuant to this chapter. Such person shall be known as “Missouri Youth Election Participants” and shall, before entering upon the duties related to an election conducted pursuant to this chapter, take and subscribe the following oath, which shall be signed by the participant and an original copy thereof delivered to the election authority:

­

I solemnly swear or affirm that I will impartially discharge the duties of a Missouri youth election participant by following to the best of my ability the instructions of any election judge, election authority, or teacher of my school. I also swear or affirm that I will not disclose how any voter has voted unless I am told to do so by an election judge, election authority, or a court of law in a proper judicial proceeding. I also swear or affirm that I will make no statement nor give any information of any kind tending in any way to show the state of the count of votes prior to the close of the polls on election day, nor will I make any statement during the conduct of my duties which tends to show my preferences for any issue or candidate involved in the election.
__________________?
Signature of Missouri Youth
Election Participant

­

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 115.104

  • Ballot: the paper ballot, or ballot designed for use with an electronic voting system on which each voter may cast all votes to which he or she is entitled at an election. See Missouri Laws 115.013
  • Disqualified: a determination made by a court of competent jurisdiction, the Missouri ethics commission, an election authority or any other body authorized by law to make such a determination that a candidate is ineligible to hold office or not entitled to be voted on for office. See Missouri Laws 115.013
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Polling place: the voting place designated for all voters residing in one or more precincts for any election. See Missouri Laws 115.013
  • State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • voter: is used in the laws of this state it shall mean registered voter, or legal voter. See Missouri Laws 1.035

3. If, in the opinion of the chief administrative officer of any high school of this state, the appointment of students in the tenth, eleventh or twelfth grade as Missouri youth election participants would benefit those persons involved and the election process, the officer may nominate such persons as participants. The chief administrative officer shall establish the academic and behavioral standards for qualification, but persons nominated shall, at a minimum:

(1) Have demonstrated age-appropriate academic ability and demeanor;

(2) Be a person of good repute who can speak, read and write the English language; and

(3) Not be related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity to any person whose name appears on the ballot, except that no participant shall be disqualified if related within such degree to an unopposed candidate.

4. The chief administrative officer of the school shall transmit a written list of nominees to the election authority of the jurisdiction at least sixty days prior to the election. If, in the opinion of the election authority, the appointment of participants nominated pursuant to this section would not be disruptive to the election process, the election authority may appoint any number of participants for each polling place or place where votes are to be counted within its jurisdiction. Such appointment shall include a schedule of the time during which the participant is expected to serve. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mandate the appointment of any participant if, in the sole discretion of the election authority, the presence of such participants in any polling place or place where votes are counted would be disruptive to the orderly election process.

5. Subject to the provisions of this section and under the direct supervision of the election authority or election judges, each participant may assist in the administration of the polling place, assist in the counting of votes, assist in the execution of any administrative duty of any election authority or election judge, and perform any other election-day-related duty as instructed.

6. Each election authority and election judge appointed pursuant to this chapter shall have the authority to direct any Missouri youth election participant in his duties and to compel compliance with law. Each election authority may, in its sole discretion, substitute participants on or before election day. Each election authority or election judge shall have the authority at any time to take any action necessary to remove any participant from any polling place or place where votes are being counted. It shall be the duty of any law enforcement officer, if requested by the election authority or judges of election, to exclude any participant from the polling place or place where votes are being counted.

7. In order to best prepare students for duty as Missouri youth election participants pursuant to this section, each high school of this state may offer a course of instruction in the democratic electoral process which concentrates upon the election law of this state. The high school may require successful completion of such a course prior to qualification for nomination as a Missouri youth election participant.

  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 115 Contents