Poll workers drown when their vehicle is swept away in flood, Missouri officials say

A couple drowned on their way to work their local polling center on Election Day, according to Missouri police and news reports.

The couple, a 73-year-old woman and 70-year-old man, were driving in Wright County around 5 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, when their vehicle was swept away in flash flood waters from Beaver Creek, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

They tried swimming to dry ground, but they drowned, troopers said. They were pronounced dead just before 7 a.m.

The couple, from Manes, has not been publicly identified as of Nov. 6.

Officials said they were driving to work polls in Wright County.

“This is a terrible loss for Wright County. This couple were wonderful people who donated their time to serve their community,” Wright County Clerk Loni Pedersen said in a statement. “We will miss them dearly and the service they provided to my office.”

Troopers said there were two other vehicles “carried off the roadway by floodwater from Beaver Creek.” The occupants of both vehicles escaped by swimming to shore, according to highway patrol.

According to the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, the area “experienced extreme flooding in low water areas and bridges beginning Nov. 4.

Wright County is about a 200-mile drive southwest from St. Louis.

This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 5:51 AM with the headline "Poll workers drown when their vehicle is swept away in flood, Missouri officials say."