O�FALLON, Mo. � Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is investigating why a suburban St. Louis polling place opened 90 minutes late for this month�s primary election.

Ashcroft said Monday doors at the polling place in O�Fallon remained locked 90 minutes past opening time for the Aug. 7 election. He said the problem could have affected the Republican and Democratic races in Missouri House District 102. Both were decided by less than half of 1 percent of the vote.

Ashcroft�s office said the St. Charles County Election Authority first blamed a malfunction due to a lightning strike near the subdivision clubhouse serving as the polling place. But a news release states the office was later told the building owner had changed the locks and election judges didn�t have the correct key.