1. At every election, the chairman of the county committee of each political party named on the ballot shall have the right to designate a watcher for each place votes are counted.

2. Watchers are to observe the counting of the votes and present any complaint of irregularity or law violation to the election judges, or to the election authority if not satisfied with the decision of the election judges. No watcher may be substituted for another on election day.

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 115.107

  • 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
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • County: any county in this state or any city not within a county. See Missouri Laws 115.013
  • 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.
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Political party: any established political party and any new party. See Missouri Laws 115.013
  • Polling place: the voting place designated for all voters residing in one or more precincts for any election. See Missouri Laws 115.013
  • voter: is used in the laws of this state it shall mean registered voter, or legal voter. See Missouri Laws 1.035

3. No watcher shall report to anyone the name of any person who has or has not voted.

4. A watcher may remain present until all closing certification forms are completed, all equipment is closed and taken down, the transportation case for the ballots is sealed, election materials are returned to the election authority or to the designated collection place for a polling place, and any other duties or procedures required under sections 115.447 to 115.491 are completed. A watcher may also remain present at each location at which absentee ballots are counted and may remain present while such ballots are being prepared for counting and counted.

5. All persons selected as watchers shall have the same qualifications required by section 115.085 for election judges, except that such watcher shall be a registered voter in the jurisdiction of the election authority for which the watcher is designated as a watcher.