October 26, 2020
St. Charles County, Missouri – The St. Charles County Election Authority has launched BallotTrax, an online system for voters to track requests for absentee ballots by mail for the Nov. 3 General Election. Applicants can login to BallotTrax to check on the status of their ballot from receipt of their application to printing, mailing and acceptance of their ballot once it is returned. A link to access the system is available on the Election Authority’s website at sccmo.org/ElectionAuthority under Nov. 3, 2020, General Election Information. The system is for tracking requests made for absentee by mail ballots only. Applications to receive absentee ballots by mail were due to the Election Authority by 5 p.m., Oct. 21.
“We received 24,615 applications for absentee ballots by mail—a record number for any election in St. Charles County’s history,” says Kurt Bahr, Election Authority Director. “We greatly appreciate the patience of our voters as we work to quickly process the applications and hope BallotTrax will help with any questions or concerns.”
Absentee ballots received by mail must be returned by mail or in person to the Election Authority, located at 397 Turner Boulevard in St. Peters, by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3. Voters also have the option to drop off their absentee by mail ballot at their polling location on Election Day by 7 p.m. In-person absentee voting continues to be available at the Election Authority during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Nov. 2, and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31. More information about absentee voting, including eligibility, is available on the Election Authority website.
Voter turnout in St. Charles County is expected to be the largest in history. “The average turnout for all elections since March 2016 is 31 percent, and we are already at 7 percent with absentee and mail-in alone,” Bahr says. “In addition to the nearly 25,000 absentee by mail requests, we’ve received more than 5,000 requests for mail-in ballots and 21,971 in-person requests at the Election Authority for absentee ballots as of Oct. 22.”
Polling places are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for those who wish to vote in-person Nov. 3. In addition to absentee voters, Bahr says the Election Authority is expecting a record number of in-person voters.
“I encourage voters to allow plenty of time to vote and to make certain they bring a valid form of ID with them to the polls,” Bahr says. “Voters should also keep in mind they can only vote at their assigned polling place and not at any polling place in the county.”
The Election Authority’s website features a list of acceptable forms of ID, as well as a sample ballot, polling place search, and other essential election information.
Bahr says the Election Authority is taking extra steps to be prepared for the volume of crowds Nov. 3 and to provide a safe environment at polling locations. The Election Authority is providing disinfectant wipes, masks and gloves for election judges, and hand sanitizer for voters at all polling locations, and will be enacting social distancing measures. Election judges are required to wear masks and voters are highly encouraged to wear masks while in their polling places. Masks will be available to voters upon request.
“We will have extra judges at every polling place on Election Day to help keep lines moving and to assist with sanitizing polling booths,” Bahr says. “We also are doubling the number of people answering phones at the Election Authority to assist voters and judges with any questions.”
For further questions about the Nov. 3 General Election, please email election@sccmo.org.