Health care measure drives Cape Girardeau voters to polls

There was a steady stream of people at a couple of the larger precincts in Cape Girardeau Tuesday afternoon as voters choose nominees for Congress, presiding commissioner and a state legislative seat.

Many voters said the most important reason they were at the polls was to vote on Proposition C, the statewide ballot measure portrayed as a chance to give an opinion on the national health insurance overhaul approved by Congress earlier this year.

"I want the government out of my insurance," Keith Daum, one of more than 900 people who had voted by 2 p.m. in two precincts at the Arena Building. "I want to decide what I need. If people don't want to have insurance they should have a choice not to do so."

Polls are open until 7 p.m. for the primary election. Voters may choose a Republican, Democratic, Constitution or Libertarian ballot or they may take a nonpartisan ballot and vote only on the statewide Proposition C and local ballot measures. Cape Girardeau voters are deciding the fate of a half-cent sales tax for road projects.

At Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1820 Perryville Road, Tim Lee and his wife Kathy Lee brought their daughter, McKenna, 9, and son Montgomery, 6, to the polls with them. They said they were trying to show the importance of voting in every election.

Tim Lee said he came specifically to vote in the Republican U.S. Senate primary and on Proposition C. He said he chose U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt of Springfield for the Republican Senate nomination because he sees Blunt as the most electable of the candidates. Blunt's most vigorous challenge has come from state Sen. Chuck Purgason of Caulfield, who has sought to portray Blunt as too closely tied to Washington, D.C. politics.

Kathy Lee said she was voting in favor of Proposition C to send a message about the growth of government. "I don't want the government dictating whether I should buy health insurance or not."

Overall, voting was going smoothly in Cape Girardeau County, with turnout better than April's municipal elections and few problems, Cape Girardeau County elections director Joey Keys said.

After solving a couple of equipment problems early in the day, voting has gone smoothly, Keys said.

"It seems like a pretty steady turnout," Keys said.

Birdie Rader submits her election ballot in Precinct 1 Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010 at Red Star Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. (Fred Lynch)

For full election results, check back at semissourian.com after 7 p.m. or read Wednesday's Southeast Missourian.