Missouri Revised Statutes Title IX. Suffrage and Elections § 115.447. Definitions

(1) “Counting judges” are the two judges, one from each major political party, who read each vote received by all candidates and each vote for and against all questions at a polling place;

(2) “Receiving judges” are the two judges, one from each major political party, who initial each voter's ballot at a polling place;

(3) “Recording judges” are the two judges, one from each major political party, who tally the votes received by each candidate and for and against each question at a polling place. These terms describe functions rather than individuals, and any election judge may perform more than one function at a polling place on election day.

(1) “Defective ballot” is any ballot on which the number of write-in votes and votes cast on the ballot for any office exceed the number allowed by law, and any ballot which is bent or damaged so that it cannot be properly counted by automatic tabulating equipment;

(2) “Rejected ballot” is any ballot on which no votes are counted because the ballot fails to have the initials of the proper election judges, because the number of votes for all offices and on all questions exceeds the number authorized by law, because the voter is deemed by the election judges to be unqualified, because it is an absentee ballot not accompanied by a completed and signed affidavit, or because the ballot was voted with unlawful assistance;

(3) “Spoiled ballot” is any ballot accidentally spoiled by a voter and replaced by election judges in the manner provided in subsection 2  1 of section 115.439.