NEWS

In change, deputies at Greene County polls will now be in plain clothes, conceal weapon

Thomas Gounley
TGOUNLEY@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Greene County on Saturday announced a change to its plans to, for the first time, station sheriff's deputies inside a majority of polling places on Election Day.

Deputies with the Greene County Sheriff's Office will be at some polling places on Tuesday.

In a statement released at 6:30 p.m., Clerk Shane Schoeller — the Republican who serves as the county's top election official — said the deputies will now wear plain clothes and conceal their badge and weapon.

The county's original plan, first reported Thursday evening by the News-Leader, was for the deputies to wear a traditional uniform, with badge and weapon visible, while at the polling places on Tuesday.

Schoeller also said Saturday that additional deputies, who had been scheduled to intermittently visit polling places without a stationed deputy, will now only respond when called upon.

Schoeller said in his statement that "there has been some concern expressed over the past two days" regarding his decision to deploy deputies. He said his office "has listened to those concerns and taken them into consideration."

Among those expressing concern was Skyler Johnston, the executive director of the Greene County Democrats. Johnston told the News-Leader Thursday that a visible weapon "could be intimidating for some voters" — even in firearms-friendly southwest Missouri — and that "any kind of police presence puts some people on edge."

"It's going to hit each voter differently," Johnston said. "Some people will be reassured."

Skyler Johnston, executive director of the Greene County Democrats

On Thursday, Johnston asked a reporter whether the deputies would be openly carrying a weapon and if they would be wearing their traditional uniform. Johnston said it would be his preference that the answer to both those questions be no.

However, Johnston also acknowledged Schoeller's concerns to a degree, saying on Thursday that "I know that there is a potential for disruptive elements this election."

"I am confident they are not going to be coming from our side," he said.

Greene County's plan was also discussed on air Friday by liberal MSNBC host Rachel Maddow.

"There's a couple ways to look at this, right?" Maddow told her show's viewers. "I mean, this election season does seem to have brought out more than its fair share of unhinged people. Having law enforcement, deputies at polling places to keep the peace is maybe not a crazy idea. But the other way to look at this is we don't have a great history in this country with armed law enforcement stalking around the polls."

The head of the Greene County Republican party previously said she fully supported Schoeller's plan.

"I do have an opinion. I think it's wonderful," Danette Proctor said Thursday, adding she expected voters would "feel more secure."

Shane Schoeller, Greene County clerk

Schoeller used much of the rest of the statement issued Saturday to explain why he sees value in having deputies at polling places.

He said voters and election judges have expressed concerns about polling place safety "due to the tension and conflict they have witnessed or experienced related to this election cycle."

"Safety and access must be balanced to ensure voters have confidence they can vote in a safe and non-threatening environment," Schoeller said.

He also said that, "though we do not advertise it, it ... has been very common this year for our election judges to call law enforcement to respond to disorderly situations at their polling location during the day of the election."

Schoeller noted he expects more than 100,000 people in the county to visit a polling place on Tuesday and said "large groups increase the likelihood of rising tensions, in what has already been an emotionally charged election year."

"If an incident occurred and we were not properly prepared to respond, questions would certainly be raised as to why there was not a plan and those concerns would be valid," he said. "We want to be proactive and plan accordingly to ensure we are prepared."

The deputies will be stationed at approximate 45 of the county's 75 polling places. They will be trained to help voters use the county's direct recording electronic equipmenta touch-screen system made available for individuals who are handicapped. The system, however, is used infrequently — just 14 times countywide, according to Schoeller, in a March election that saw about 80,000 voters — leaving lots of time to respond to potential incidents.

Schoeller has emphasized that the deputies will not be stationed outside the polling practices. He said Thursday there is "no doubt" the practice would amount to voter intimidation if that were the case.

It's unclear just how common it is to station law enforcement inside polling places. The Missouri Secretary of State's office does not track that information, a spokeswoman said Friday.