115.013. Definitions.
Definitions.
115.013. As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly impliesotherwise, the following terms mean:
(1) "Automatic tabulating equipment", the apparatus necessary toexamine and automatically count votes, and the data processing machineswhich are used for counting votes and tabulating results;
(2) "Ballot", the ballot card, paper ballot or ballot designed foruse with an electronic voting system on which each voter may cast all votesto which he or she is entitled at an election;
(3) "Ballot card", a ballot which is voted by making a punch orsensor mark which can be tabulated by automatic tabulating equipment;
(4) "Ballot label", the card, paper, booklet, page or other materialcontaining the names of all offices and candidates and statements of allquestions to be voted on;
(5) "Counting location", a location selected by the electionauthority for the automatic processing or counting, or both, of ballots;
(6) "County", any one of the several counties of this state or theCity of St. Louis;
(7) "Disqualified", a determination made by a court of competentjurisdiction, the Missouri ethics commission, an election authority or anyother body authorized by law to make such a determination that a candidateis ineligible to hold office or not entitled to be voted on for office;
(8) "District", an area within the state or within a politicalsubdivision of the state from which a person is elected to represent thearea on a policy-making body with representatives of other areas in thestate or political subdivision;
(9) "Electronic voting system", a system of casting votes by use ofmarking devices, and counting votes by use of automatic tabulating or dataprocessing equipment, and includes computerized voting systems;
(10) "Established political party" for the state, a political partywhich, at either of the last two general elections, polled for itscandidate for any statewide office, more than two percent of the entirevote cast for the office. "Established political party" for any districtor political subdivision shall mean a political party which polled morethan two percent of the entire vote cast at either of the last twoelections in which the district or political subdivision voted as a unitfor the election of officers or representatives to serve its area;
(11) "Federal office", the office of presidential elector, UnitedStates senator, or representative in Congress;
(12) "Independent", a candidate who is not a candidate of anypolitical party and who is running for an office for which party candidatesmay run;
(13) "Major political party", the political party whose candidatesreceived the highest or second highest number of votes at the last generalelection;
(14) "Marking device", either an apparatus in which ballots areinserted and voted by use of a punch apparatus, or any approved devicewhich will enable the votes to be counted by automatic tabulatingequipment;
(15) "Municipal" or "municipality", a city, village, or incorporatedtown of this state;
(16) "New party", any political group which has filed a validpetition and is entitled to place its list of candidates on the ballot atthe next general or special election;
(17) "Nonpartisan", a candidate who is not a candidate of anypolitical party and who is running for an office for which party candidatesmay not run;
(18) "Political party", any established political party and any newparty;
(19) "Political subdivision", a county, city, town, village, ortownship of a township organization county;
(20) "Polling place", the voting place designated for all votersresiding in one or more precincts for any election;
(21) "Precincts", the geographical areas into which the electionauthority divides its jurisdiction for the purpose of conducting elections;
(22) "Public office", any office established by constitution, statuteor charter and any employment under the United States, the state ofMissouri, or any political subdivision or special district, but does notinclude any office in the reserve forces or the national guard or theoffice of notary public or city attorney in cities of the thirdclassification or cities of the fourth classification;
(23) "Question", any measure on the ballot which can be voted "YES"or "NO";
(24) "Relative within the first degree by consanguinity or affinity",a spouse, parent, or child of a person;
(25) "Relative within the second degree by consanguinity oraffinity", a spouse, parent, child, grandparent, brother, sister,grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, or son-in-law;
(26) "Special district", any school district, water district, fireprotection district, hospital district, health center, nursing district, orother districts with taxing authority, or other district formed pursuant tothe laws of Missouri to provide limited, specific services;
(27) "Special election", elections called by any school district,water district, fire protection district, or other district formed pursuantto the laws of Missouri to provide limited, specific services; and
(28) "Voting district", the one or more precincts within which allvoters vote at a single polling place for any election.
(L. 1977 H.B. 101 § 1.025, A.L. 1979 S.B. 275, A.L. 1982 S.B. 526, A.L. 1986 H.B. 1471, et al., A.L. 1997 S.B. 132, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676, A.L. 2002 S.B. 675, A.L. 2005 H.B. 58)