Chesterfield Resident Denied Vote, Wife Angry Too

A woman who said her husband was denied an opportunity to vote in Chesterfield Tuesday, disputed on Wednesday the County's explanation why.

Jim Bunn, a Heffington Drive resident and his wife live on a no-outlet street across from their polling place at Highcroft Ridge Elementary School in Chesterfield (Ward 2.)

When County election officials said her husband arrived at 7 p.m. and it was too late to vote, Kay Bunn responded in email to Chesterfield Patch.

Either their clocks are set fast or ours are slow and we are never late for work. We live 7 houses from Highcroft Ridge Elementary and my husband left our house at 6:45pm—driving not walking and I don't think it takes 15 minutes to get there.  

Bunn said he arrived at the school gym to vote at 6:50 p.m. Tuesday. But pollworkers told him no, he was too late. Kay Bunn said the workers indicated they had closed up shop for the day.

The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Subsequently, Chesterfield Patch asked St. Louis County elections division on Tuesday night about the situation.

“It was a very close call,” said Rita Heard-Days, director of elections. Days said both the Republican and Democratic supervisors at Highridge confirmed it was 7 p.m. straight up when the complainant came to vote.

“That’s why we have a clock on the machines,” Days said.

Wednesday morning, the Bunns were clearly dissatisfied with the County's explanation.

"How likely are they to admit that they closed early? And what can we do in the future if this happens again, to prove it? Kay Bunn said in an email to Chesterfield Patch.

Chesterfield Patch timed the drive between the two points at three minutes at the most. Then parking and walking to the gym could take about three minutes, for total of six minutes.

Has this happened to any others? What would you do? Let us know in comments below, or email Chesterfield Patch at jean.whitney@patch.com

Chesterfield Patch Social Media Miner Lindsay Toler contributed to this article.