Red Oak man charged with felony election misconduct takes stand in own defense as jury deliberates

RED OAK, Iowa (KMTV) — A Red Oak man accused of election misconduct during the 2024 general election took the stand in his own defense — a rare move in a criminal trial. After two days of witness testimony, the fate of Joey Norris is now in the jury's hands.

Norris, 36, is charged with felony election misconduct. He was a poll worker on a board counting absentee ballots. Prosecutors allege he hindered the ballot count by interrupting, asking too many questions and slowing down the ability of the board to get the count done in time.

State witness Jeanice Lester was the chair of the ballot counting board.

"I felt that in all the years that I served I have never witnessed or been involved in something that took so much time," she said.

During a motion to dismiss the case, defense counsel Gina Messamer argued it is not a crime for an election worker to speak up when they have concerns.

"If you're telling them anything that the boss says they didn't like could be a criminal offense, that's going to chill their ability to stand up for what the rules are and to do their jobs effectively," Messamer said.

Assistant Attorney General Joshua Duden disagreed with the motion to dismiss.

"He was acting as a government actor, an extension of the auditors office as an appointed member of a board, serving in an official governmental duty," Duden said.

The motion was not granted and the trial continued.

Jan Norris, the defendant's mother, remained composed as she testified about her role as an election observer in the same room that day.

Joey Norris fought tears when his lawyer asked him about being dismissed from the board by the auditor halfway through the day. She asked him why he was upset.

"I'm an Eagle Scout," he said. "I take something I swore an oath to do, seriously."

The Jury was still deliberating as of 7 p.m. on Thursday.

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