Judge's ruling allows Winneshiek County officials to attend Thursday afternoon hearing in Des Moines by telephone

Winneshiek County officials will not have to travel to Des Moines Thursday for a court hearing determining whether 29 absentee ballots cast November 6th should be counted in the results for Iowa House District 55.

Polk County Judge Scott Beattie has granted a motion on behalf of Winneshiek County Auditor Ben Steines that Steines and other county officials can attend Thursday's hearing through a conference phone call.

The ruling by Judge Beattie was written on Thursday of last week and posted in court records on Friday.

In making the request to be allowed to attend Thursday's hearing by conference call, Winneshiek County officials mentioned the 3-hour drive to Des Moines and how that affected a previous court hearing which Winneshiek County officials could not attend because last-minute changes were made in the topic of the hearing--too late for Winneshiek County officials to be in the courtroom in person.