Campaigners plan last-minute events in Southeast Missouri

As Election Day approaches. candidates hoping to persuade voters at the last minute will be making visits to Cape Girardeau and both major party organizations plan a weekend of telephoning and knocking on doors.

Meanwhile, Cape Girardeau County voters who will be out of town Tuesday or who for other reasons need to use an absentee ballot may do so from 8 a.m. to noon today at the county clerk's office in the County Administration Building in Jackson or at the County Government Annex, 44 N. Lorimier St. in Cape Girardeau. Absentee voting is available Monday as well.

On Sunday, Democratic congressional candidate Joe Allen will be in Southeast Missouri for a whistle-stop tour that will include events in Advance, Marble Hill and Cape Girardeau.

Allen, who is in a battle to unseat six-term Republican U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, will be at the Rhodes Gas Station, 19950 Route C at 2:45 p.m. At 3:45 p.m., he plans to be at the Woodland Steakhouse, 301 First St. in Marble Hill and at 7:15 p.m. he plans to be at Cape Cuts, 2009 Independence St. A stop is planned in Perryville, but no location has been announced.

On Monday, state Senate President Pro Tem Mike Gibbons, the Republican candidate for attorney general, will bring his "Protect and Serve" tour to Southeast Missouri. Gibbons plans an event at 2:30 p.m. Monday at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse, 1 Barton Square in Jackson.

Meanwhile, Cape Girardeau County Republicans and the Barack Obama campaign are planning large-scale door-to-door canvassing and telephoning efforts.

Emerson will give a pep talk to Republican volunteers at 9 a.m. today at the county GOP headquarters, 601 N. Kingshighway, before sending them out for a day of door-to-door campaigning, said Jim Roche, a Republican county committeeman.

And the Obama campaign will be sending teams of canvassers out in relays all weekend from the headquarters at 821-D Broadway in Cape Girardeau. The effort will begin at 9 a.m. today and continue through Monday and extend into Election Day until the polls close, a release from the Obama campaign said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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