Six county polling precincts moved to new locations

NEW MADRID, Mo. - Before heading to the polls on April 4, some New Madrid County voters may want to double check where they will cast their ballots.

New Madrid County Clerk Amy Brown earlier notified voters she was reducing the number of polling places across New Madrid County from 18 to 12 by combining six polling spots.

Brown cited the high costs of elections for her decision.

“Our voting equipment is nine years old and will soon have to be replaced,” she said. “Purchasing 20 new machines was something I could not afford.”

Also Brown pointed out with fewer polling places, fewer election judges would be needed. This would also reduce the costs of the elections, she said.

The precincts which were combined were those with the lowest number of registered voters, she explained. Brown acknowledged that some citizens are not happy with her closing polling locations in their community but emphasized the reason behind her decision on which precincts were combined was strictly based on cost factors.

Residents of Tallapoosa (Portage 3 precinct) will now vote at the Gideon City Hall along with Gideon residents residing in Anderson 1 and 2 precincts.

The voters residing in Big Prairie 3 and Hough, who previously cast their ballots at the Irrigation Central building, and those voters residing West 3 and 4 precincts, who previously voted at the Canalou City Hall, will vote at the Matthews City Hall along with the voters in the Big Prairie 1 and 2 precincts.

Residents of Como 1 and 2, who previously voted at the Parma Community Building, will join those voters in Como 3 and 4 precincts to vote at the Risco Community Building.

Catron residents who made up the Como 5 precinct will cast their ballots now at the VFW Hall in Lilbourn along with voters from Lewis 1, 2 and 5 precincts.

Howardville residents who made up the Lewis 3 and 4 precincts and previously voted at the Howardville City Hall will now cast ballots at the Mill Street Community Building in New Madrid. Voters in the New Madrid 1 precinct will continue to cast their ballots at the Mill Street Community Building.

Polling locations not seeing any changes include Big Prairie 4 residents who vote at Three Rivers College; LaFont 1, 2 and 3 precinct voters who vote at the Marston Community Building; voters in Lesiuer 1 and Portage 1 who vote at the Main Street Community Building in Portageville; New Madrid 2, 3, 4 and 5 precincts and St. John precinct who vote at the Knights of Columbus building in New Madrid; Portage 2 voters who vote at the Rogers Community Building in Portageville; and West 1 and 2 precincts, who vote at the former school building in Morehouse.

Up through April 3, any New Madrid County voter can vote at the County Clerk’s office in the New Madrid County Court House. The office is open from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and will be open until 5 p.m. on April 3.

Also the office will be open 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 1, for voters to cast their ballots.