Boone County voters this morning tucked themselves into polling booths seasoned with a dash of Uncle Sam and a pinch of Big Brother as they prepared to help select the candidates who will later vie for the presidency. Boone County clerk Wendy Noren said she expected added guests at some polls today called poll challengers.
Challengers can monitor names of voters and which ballot they pick up.
The party poll watchers have been allowed in Missouri for years, but a change in the law this year allows them to take notes on who is picking up ballots for individual parties. Missouri voters don't register with a particular party. There are 18 candidates to choose from, representing five political parties. Noren said that as of this morning she had no complaints about the challengers and that the practice is common. She said in November 1998, challengers were also at the polls in Boone County.