Voter turnout slightly lower than expected

Tuesday's voter turnout fell just short of the expectations that called for slightly higher turnout.

County clerks cited races for judge and county office positions, as well as five constitutional amendments as possible incentives for more voters to cast their ballots.

It was predicted that 33 percent of Cape Girardeau County's voters would hit the polls for the primary, but the actual number fell just short at about 30 percent. It put this year's primary election on par with those of 2012 and 2010.

Scott County was expected to have a turnout as high as 35 percent, but only 6,485 of the county's 26,247 voters -- less than 25 percent -- showed up to the polls.

Bollinger County reported 2,928 ballots cast.

The exception to the abysmal turnout was Perry County. The county clerk reported nearly 45 percent of the county's registered voters showed up Tuesday.