Mo. voter turnout expected to be less than 1/3

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The secretary of state's office estimates that less than one-third of Missouri's registered voters will go to the polls during Tuesday's primary elections.

If the estimate holds, about 1.2 million of the 4 million registered to vote in Missouri will cast ballots. The estimate is based on data calculated by local election officials.

At least half of the registered voters are expected to show up in just 17 of the state's 114 counties. Knox County in northeast Missouri has the highest projected turnout with 75 percent of its 2,895 registered voters.

Butler County in southeast Missouri is expected to have the lowest turnout with 15 percent of its 31,984 voters.

The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday.