Changes to some Butler County polling places for April election

Two Butler County polling places will see changes in the April 2 election for school and municipal offices.

Residents in Oglesville and Wappapello will move to new facilities starting with this election, said county clerk Tonyi Deffendall.

The Oglesville precinct has been merged with the Qulin voting precinct, Deffendall said. These residents will vote at the Qulin City Hall, 481 Second St., and not at the Oglesville Fire Station.

The Oglesville decision was made because of the economic cost to hold elections, Deffendall said. The retirement of some election judges has also made it difficult to find officials to monitor elections at that location, she continued.

Wappapello voters will also make a move to a new polling place within their precinct. They will cast their ballots at the Little Brushy Church basement, at 8255 Highway T. These residents previously voted at the Miller’s Motor Lodge.

Both new locations offer handicap accessibility, Deffendall said.

Deffendall urged anyone with questions about where to vote, or what elections would occur in their precinct, to call the clerk’s office, 573-686-8050.

She expects a low turnout. Only a little more than 9,000 active, registered voters will have an item on which to cast a ballot in this election.

“Overall, that’s less than 50 percent who even have anything to vote on. If they question whether their precinct is open, they can give us a call and we can tell them in a minute if they have anything on a ballot or not,” Deffendall said.

Individual races may still see a good turnout, she said.

There are contested races for Poplar Bluff City Council Ward 1; Twin Rivers, Doniphan, Neelyville and Naylor school districts; Fisk City Council Ward 1; and Neelyville City Aldermen Ward 1.