Bolivar voters were asked to cover school logos at polls. Here's why some are concerned

In a rare move, Polk County Clerk Rachel Lightfoot decided just days before the Tuesday election that voters would have to cover or switch out apparel with the Bolivar school logo in order to enter a polling place.

The 11th hour decision — not widely communicated other than to election workers — created confusion at the polls and prompted questions about voter suppression from Bolivar Superintendent Richard Asbill.

"I am being informed that voters who are school employees are being denied or restricted from voting," Asbill wrote in an email to Lightfoot sent at 7:14 a.m. Tuesday. "I believe this borders on voter suppression and your attention to this matter would be appreciated at your earliest convenience."

The only issue on the ballot was Bolivar schools seeking permission from voters to join the taxing district for Ozarks Technical Community College.

Turnout was higher than expected — 21% — with 57% of the 2,264 votes in opposition. The measure failed.

If approved, the property tax levy in Bolivar would have increased by 20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation Jan. 1 in exchange for much lower tuition and the expansion of college and career programs in Polk County.

In an interview early Wednesday, Lightfoot said she did a poor job communicating the change. She was appointed to the position in July 2021 by Gov. Mike Parson.

"It was very last minute," Lightfoot said. "It is very difficult when you are in the last days of the election. It gets very, very busy. I did communicate to the school that I did not do a good job of communicating that out once I knew what my decision would be and I accepted responsibility for that. I am still new, still learning, still trying to navigate this county clerk world."

She added: "I learned that if that is an issue again, I need to do a better job communicating those things out and not letting the rest of my duties in this office take precedence."

Lightfoot said residents raised concerns with her about "what is considered campaign materials" or electioneering in the polling place "since the school was holding the election."

"I had never been (asked) that question before so I reached out to the Secretary of State's office and asked for advice," she said. "There is no black and white but I made the decision to ask (voters) to cover up the logos when they entered the polling location."

She communicated the decision to poll workers Thursday and Friday. No signage was changed at the seven polling places open Tuesday so it fell to election workers to tell voters they were required to cover, remove or turn inside-out any clothing containing a school logo.

"No one was turned away," she said, noting voters were allowed in if they complied. "Everybody that wanted to vote voted."

Asbill, a longtime educator in southwest Missouri, said this was the first time the requirement has come up despite being part of many school-related elections over the years.

"Never have I heard a city, county or state requirement that says wearing local school district attire as a restriction to vote," he wrote in the email to Lightfoot, obtained by the News-Leader through a records request. "If anyone was wearing 'vote for' or 'vote against' I would completely understand but I do not believe this was occurring."

In the email, Asbill explained certain employees including custodians wear uniforms that identify them as a school employee for safety reasons.

He said others wear "Bolivar Schools or Liberators clothing" in support of the district as work attire.

"Your office has a responsibility to inform voters of voting expectations and if rules will be applied then they must be communicated in a timely manner," he wrote.

In an interview Tuesday, Asbill added that employees and families were also wearing school apparel because of a soccer match scheduled that evening.

More: Bolivar voters reject partnership with OTC, which involved a tax levy and lower tuition

The News-Leader asked Lightfoot if the new requirement will be enforced during upcoming elections with a school issue on the ballot.

"I don't have the answer for that right now. I will be consulting more the Secretary of State's office because it is such a gray area and there is no definition and true black-and-white for this — and I would like that," she said.

Lightfoot said this is the first time she is aware of a question being raised about wearing school apparel and logos in the polling place.

Asked who raised the question, Lightfoot said "just individuals within the community."

"There were committees for and there were committees against ... but I don't know who all is on those committees," she said. "To my knowledge, those aren't people I spoke to."

Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Bolivar voters told to cover school logos out of 'electioneering' fear