30.3 percent of Cape County voters went to polls

Southeast Missouri's voter turnout Tuesday was higher than the state average and was highest in Cape Girardeau County, where numbers neared the prediction of the county clerk.

County Clerk Kara Clark Summers said 30.3 percent of the county's voters participated in this year's primary, which did not quite meet the 35 percent she was looking for but kept traffic at the polls steady throughout the day.

More than 15,000 registered voters kept all poll locations busy, Summers said.

"I think because there were a lot of candidates in some races, especially the county races, contributed to a lot of people voting," Summers said Wednesday, noting the 13 Republican candidates on the ballot for public administrator and three candidates each in the assessor and District 2 county commissioner races. A state race that was decided by the primary also likely bumped up participation, she said.

Twenty-three percent of the state's nearly 4.1 million registered voters voted in Tuesday's primary, according to the secretary of state's office. Ballots cast in Scott County numbered 7,153, bringing total voter turnout to 26.6 percent.

Bollinger County's turnout, at 32.6 percent, was a little above average in comparison to previous primaries in 2010 and 2008, according to deputy clerk Brittany Hovis. Perry County saw 24.5 percent of voters at the polls, and Stoddard County saw 23.4 percent.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3627